Auctions

It is difficult to replicate the occasion of a royal themed auction. Ergo not everything that resurfaces on the market from the fabled ‘Princess Margaret’ sale at Christie’s in June 2006 shows a great appreciation in value.

Combining technical mastery with recurring motifs derived from nature, Pierre Sterlé’s (1905-1978) style is instantly recognisable.

His daring organic sculptural designs re-energised the British jewellery scene in post-war Britain, now Andrew Grima’s (1921-2007) creations are leading the revival of ‘60s and ‘70s designer jewellery on the secondary market.

By the mid-20th century several design houses were taking a more playful approach to zoomorphic jewellery.

A selection of four upcoming jewellery lots including a necklace comprising 21 cameos and intaglios previously owned by the Duke of Wellington.

Few furniture forms suffered a bigger crash in prices than the davenport.

Presentation copies and private press books were a key feature of a Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) summer sale.

This Victorian snake necklace is one of the best of its kind to appear on the regional market in recent memory.

A selection of sapphires that drew interest at auction over the last two months

This first edition of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale will be offered for sale by Scammell Auctions in Adelaide on October 11.

This 1930 view of Boulogne on a misty day was painted by Albert Marquet (1875-1947).

Andrew Jones in Los Angeles is selling two single-owner collections in online-only auctions in October.

Lisbon firm Veritas is holding an estate sale of works from the collection of the Count of Póvoa, D Manuel de Souza e Holstein-Beck, who died in 2011.

Sapphire mining at the Yogo Gulch in Montana began in 1895 after a cigar box of pale blue gems picked from a creek by a local rancher found its way to Tiffany’s in New York, where an appraiser pronounced them “the finest precious gemstones ever found in the United States”.

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

Cache of 17th century coins found during restoration of medieval home in Brittany

Baron Ribeyre & Associés is holding a two-day auction at Drouot in Paris devoted to a collection of enamelled advertising signs from 1900-60.

The career course of Edith Robinson (1862-1929), a London art teacher and painter of chocolate box watercolours was changed in 1893 when she and her new husband, the Stamford artist Nelson Dawson (1859-1941) attended a series of lectures given by the enameller Alexander Fisher.

Works from the collection of Edward Croft-Murray (1907-80), former keeper of prints and drawings at the British Museum, provided plenty of sale highlights.

Three very different lots brought six-figure bids at a Christie’s (25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) summer sale – and they were not the only ones to reach such impressive heights.