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With impressive bids from UK, Continental and US buyers on lots from paperweights and 17th century oak carvings to snuff boxes, and surprisingly high bids on fine English furniture, the Autumn Fine Sale at Gorringe’s (21% buyer’s premium) topped the £1m hammer mark.

“I was astonished by the group, both in terms of their individual quality and how cohesive the collection was,” says Waterhouse & Dodd’s Jamie Anderson, who earlier this year went to see a private collection of works by David Bomberg (1890-1957).

In fine art, the ‘Glasgow Boys’ group of artists are famed. In the contemporary jewellery scene, the ‘Glasgow Gals’ are now in the spotlight.

Overshadowed by the £130,000 Giacometti double-sided sketch (ATG No 2314), other pieces at Cheffins’ (23% buyer’s premium) sale at Cambridge on October 12 flourished under the banner of post-1880 design.

Winter landscape. Early 20th century, possibly Russian or Scandinavian school, and ‘indistinctly signed’. That was lot 222, summed up in the catalogue at Chiswick Auctions (23% buyer’s premium) in London on October 3.

The clearance of a neglected local property by Lincolnshire auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) unearthed several treasures including two watercolours by the 18th century British painter Thomas Girtin (1775-1802).

A near-monochrome watercolour by the Australian artist and stage designer Loudon Sainthill (1918-69) sold for five times its top estimate at Canterbury Auction Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) on October 3-4.

'50 Shades of Brown – By George We’ve Got It!', the exhibition at WR Harvey Antiques from November 4-12, might be less titillating than its near-namesake novel – but no matter.

Austin Desmond Fine Art, the Modern British gallery across from London’s British Museum, is currently showing 'Keith Vaughan: On Pagham Beach, Photographs and Collages from the 1930s' (until December 8).

Appearing to be as vividly coloured as when it was made in the 18th century, a brocaded silk robe à l’Anglaise breathed the style and quality associated with its Spitalfields makers.