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A portrait of a young Stuart woman, below, attributed to the Hungarian painter Johannes Priwitzer (fl.1626-35), topped the picture section in a two-day sale at Cheffins (22.5% buyer’s premium) of Cambridge.

An American library on the history of computing formed by the late Erwin Tomash provided the new season’s first major sale.

The ‘British’ studio ceramics movement has long been backed by overseas talent. In addition to Lucie Rie, Hans Coper and Ruth Duckworth (nee Windmuller), who fled the Nazis in the 1930s, and Hamada Shoji’s collaboration with Bernard Leach, is the contribution of Kenyan-born Magdalene Odundo (b. 1950).

A collection of fashion books and plates offered as part of an Exeter sale on September 12 was led at £1050 by an 1831, second edition of John Jackson’s The Improved Tailor’s Aera.

“A truly beautiful medal and a royal provenance make this something quite out of the ordinary. And, without hesitation, we can say that it is unique.” Stephen Fenton, specialist at Baldwin’s of St James’s, singled out a George IV accession medal as a highlight of the Peter Earthy collection.

Before finally achieving success in 1945 with The Pursuit of Love and then with Love in a Cold Climate, Nancy Mitford had published three novels. Two of these made record sums in a recent Stansted sale.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period September 20-26, 2018. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

Jean Théodore Descourtilz’s Oiseaux brillans du Brésil “…is so rare that I had begun to doubt its existence”.

Heritage Auctions in Texas sold this Broadwood amboyna and giltwood grand piano for $22,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at a recent auction. Evidently it had been on quite a journey.

MADAM – It was unfair and misleading of Louise Ravula and Jane Alexandra, of Two Million Tusks, to identify the Alastair Gibson petition as “pro-ivory trade”.

MADAM – Could you please update us on the forthcoming ivory ban: if passed, does it become law that day or will the new rules apply later? Richard Gardiner, Chichester.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the copy of DH Lawrence’s 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' used by the judge who presided over the 1960 obscenity trial being offered at Sotheby's.

MADAM – I read with great interest your ‘The price is right’ report of the recent ATG round table, debating how to charge for expertise (ATG No 2358). I would like to respond to a question you posed as to whether dealers should have to justify their mark-up.

Our round-up of British and Irish book sales coming up from October 2-12, 2018.

Pittsburgh entrepreneur Joseph Calihan and his wife Brenda bought their first piece of Irish art – an oil by Paul Henry – in the early 1990s.