Auctions

Auction houses in Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland are adjusting their sales calendars to accommodate the latest set of Covid-19 restrictions.

Relatively little is known about the 19th century woodcarver Francesco Toso, who was born in Murano, Venice, to a family of glass makers.

A Rolex Submariner 5512, bought for around £70 by its original owner in 1964, has sold for £175,000 at auction in Wiltshire.

Paris auction group Hôtel Drouot has reorganised its operations and will soon allow non-shareholder businesses to operate from its premises.

The East Asian tranche of the new-format Asian Art in London event runs from October 29-November 7.

The sale at Wessex Auction Rooms (17% buyer’s premium) in Chippenham on October 17 included this lot catalogued as ‘a retro banded glass decanter and glasses together with a set of similar shot glasses’. The estimate was just £15-25.

Printed volumes and manuscripts contain many rare works and unusual material

For the second time in as many sales, Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) 20th Century Design auction on October 13 included a ‘microgauze’ wall hanging by the British artist-weaver Peter Collingwood (1922-2008).

Following on from the nominees for the best Indian and Islamic object (published in ATG No 2463), an equivalent shortlist has been announced for pieces in the East Asian category.

A selection of previews from auction houses either taking part in Asian Art in London (marked below with a *) or holding sales to coincide with the event.

A selection of hammer highlights from recent auctions offering East Asian objects.

The Decades of Design sale at Fieldings (24% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Stourbridge on October 15-16 included 52 works from the family of Albert Wainwright (1898-1943). He was a Castleford artist who trained at the Leeds School of Art in 1914.

A rare scent bottle designed by one of the leading figures in the French Art Nouveau movement was the highlight of a sale of perfume bottles and jewellery held by Copages (23% buyer’s premium) at Drouot in Paris.

Bonhams’ new-format Design sale in London on October 14 was topped by Jean Dunand’s 'Les Biches' (the hinds), a lacquered wood folding screen, c.1926.

The Tavistock Pannier Market may well see an influx of sleeper-hunters following the canny purchase in June of a piece described as ‘a Cornish tile’.

Calling all the many fans of Sunbury Antiques’ markets at Kempton Park Racecourse.

While Old Masters were dominating proceedings at Woolley & Wallis’ early September sale, a fortnight earlier it was Modern British art that was turning heads in Salisbury.

The latest British & Continental Ceramics & Glass Auction at McTear’s (24% buyer’s premium) was topped by 'La Modista Il Cappellino', a 14in (35cm) Lenci figure.

Over 50 lots, many of them multiples, offered in a sale held by Thomson Roddick (18% buyer’s premium) featured the works of Bram Stoker.