Auctions

Two impressive vases from the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St Petersburg took top honours at the sale held by Auktionshaus OWL (27% buyer’s premium) on May 16 in Bad Driburg in North-Rhine-Westfalia.

Both the first and the first trade editions of A Room of One’s Own (1929) were among a collection of eight Virginia Woolf lots included in the April 16 Rare Books, Autographs, & Maps auction at Doyle (28% buyer’s premium) in New York.

An “exceedingly uncommon” signed and inscribed photograph of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) earned top-lot honours in an Autographs sale held at Swann.

Our selection of lots from 13 upcoming auctions

Collectors are looking for lesser-known artists beyond the top targets in a notably strong market

This 10½in (26cm) high Meiji period cloisonné vase from the workshop of Namikawa Sosuke came for sale at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) on May 6 with a primary provenance.

The illustrated book that Vasily Kandinsky published in 1913 under the title 'Klänge' (Sounds) is considered one of the finest examples of Expressionist literature.

This Carless, Capel and Leonard London forecourt oil dispenser cabinet rubbed bidders up the right way at The Aladdin’s Garage: A Private Collection of Petroliana, Automobilia and Advertising Signs sale.

A true connoisseur’s collection of early silver greeted those who viewed the Woolley & Wallis (27/26% buyer’s premium) Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu sale in Salisbury on April 28-29.

As pre-sale Instagram posts go, the promo for the auction at Martel Maides (20% buyer’s premium) in St Peter Port, Guernsey, on May 1 was inspired.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper auctions

The Dunhill ‘Unique’ B lighter, along with its smaller-sized sibling, was introduced into the firm’s line in the late 1920s.

Many of the Austrian designer Gustav Gurschner’s works of art were driven by the new possibilities provided by electricity.

Until now, paintings by the Dutch artist Lode Sengers (1896-1956) have rarely gone into four figures.

Book owner’s son realised the impact this landmark work would have