Auctions

An old family collection of Martin Brothers stonewares, assembled with purchases from the Southall potters in the late 19th and early 20th century, was offered in Cambridgeshire.

A rare cigarette card featuring one of England’s top goal-scorers sold for a spectacular £25,900.

A Max Beckmann (1884-1950) self-portrait set a record for any artwork sold at a German auction when it was knocked down at €20m (£17.1m).

It was, said the catalogue, “a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a top end sign in such remarkable condition”.

Punch and Judy shows in Britain date back to as early as 1662 – recorded by Pepys – with origins in the charismatic 16th century Italian puppet Pulcinella.

A fine First World War silver presentation model of the Vickers FB5 or Gunbus made by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company (London 1916) was sold together with two related photographs plus a copied letter of provenance at Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium).

Lucy Peck ran The Dolls’ Home, a successful business that opened in Regent Street in London in 1893.

British watercolours are reliant not just on subject matter but also on market freshness, condition and a good pitch

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over-estimate and the top prices paid online.

A selection of 16 upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.

While the main paintings from the collection of dealer Sir Jack Baer and his wife Diana were sold at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) at the end of September (see ATG No 2564), a group of around 50 works on paper were held back and offered at the Stansted Mountfitchet saleroom’s latest Homes and Interiors online auction.

Such was the renown of toy collector the late Jack Tempest that when his collection came up for auction many of the bidders who flocked to the sale on November 10 recognised a lot of the items on offer.

A group of five watercolours by Peter de Wint (1784-1849) that were previously kept at a Grade II-listed Oxfordshire country house caught the eye at a recent sale.

Forget names such as Palitoy, Britains, Dinky, Sindy, Bing and Marklin for a moment – recent auctions have shown the demand that can exist for lesser-known manufacturers and brands in the toys world.

Ingenious design sold at auction involves a wind-out mechanism and extra pieces to fill

This wonderful photo taken in 1914 shows the Coghill family plus a rather hairy friend: a rare large Steiff centre-seam teddy bear c.1906.

A small watercolour titled A Sleeping Wayfarer by George Richmond (1809-96) roused a few bidders into action when it was offered at auction.

Over the course of 35 years Andy Houldsworth amassed one of the largest collections of Action Man and similar action figures in the UK.