Auctions

Two recently restituted panels by Sienese artist Giovanni di Paolo (c.1399-1482) lifted the latest series of Old Master auctions in London.

Consigned from a scholarly collector in New Zealand, a pair of relief-carved ivory panels was the among the highlights of Fonsie Mealy’s (22% buyer’s premium inc VAT) Castlecomer sale on November 26.

Copy of only the fourth book to be printed using the new types comes to auction

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period November 28-December 4, 2019. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

Rising in inverse ratio to the decline in classic English furniture has been the interest in 20th century design pieces such as the silver birch table and four chairs sold at Spicers (20% buyer’s premium) in Driffield on November 29.

A collection of vintage travel posters included a number with the added advantage of local appeal when offered by Penzance auction house David Lay (18% buyer’s premium).

This portrait by Nicolas Régnier (1588-1657) of a richly attired lady possibly depicts Maria Farnese and appears to have been executed when the artist was in Modena where he painted several portraits of members of the d’Este court.

Part toy, part biscuit tin, the crossover appeal of a 1929 Huntley & Palmers product helped it to star at Hansons’ (20% buyer’s premium) five-day 2100-lot marathon antiques and collectors sale.

In a large collection of fountain pens offered at Cornish auction house Barbara Kirk (15% buyer’s premium) most well-known makers were represented, but among the rarer ones were no fewer than 19 by the Italian manufacturer Omas.

A Post-Impressionist painting of a horse-drawn hansom cab by Robert Bevan (1865-1925) was one of the headline lots at the Modern British art sales in London.

Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales including a John Piper church screen print.

Watercolour collection sold at auction represents a ‘who’s who’ of the city in the 1830s

An early watercolour by Isabel Codrington (1874-1943) depicts the Norse legend of the goddess Iduna and King Thiassi, who disguised himself as an eagle to kidnap her.

A fine-looking copy of the 1931, US first of The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett sold right on the low estimate at $60,000 (£46,875) at Christie’s New York (25/20/13.5% buyer’s premium) to match a previous auction high.

Fewer than 30 works are known by the Victorian artist and noted Suffragette Susan Isabel Dacre (1844-1933).

Besch holds its traditional winter sale series from December 27-31 at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes. Wines, champagne and spirits; Impressionist and Modern art; designer watches, pens, jewellery and coins all feature.

A piece of Orientalist art by German-born watercolourist Carl Haag (1820-1915) drew multiple bids at Maidenhead saleroom Dawson’s (23% buyer’s premium).

The binding of a copy of 'Vocabularis rerum' of Wenceslaus Brack sold in a recent West Sussex sale was a 19th century one and now broken, but this was in its time a very popular and much reprinted work.