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Large quantities of antique, vintage and second-hand jewellery have been sold at auction, both during and after the lockdown. ATG reviews some of the highlights and notes a change in buying habits

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions, August 18-September 3, 2020.

A surge in online bidding, coupled with auctioneers’ ability to adapt quickly to changing times, has shown how robust this market can be, says John-Paul Savant, chief executive officer of Auction Technology Group

George Way (1950-2019) developed an early fascination with oak furniture. He was especially interested in seat furniture and at the age of 16 he began a half-century quest to build up the largest privately owned collection of 17th century chairs in America, assembling over 100 Dutch and English examples.

MADAM – ATG's report ‘Sotheby’s introduces new fee on top of the hammer price and buyer’s premium’ (News, ATG No 2454) will raise eyebrows.

A collection of over 30 pieces by the Brazilian modernist jeweller Haroldo Burle Marx will be a focus of the August 20 Boutique Jewels auction to be held by Freeman’s in Philadelphia.

Estimated at just £30-50, a late 19th century sampler sold via thesaleroom.com for £1850 at Wotton Auction Rooms (18% buyer’s premium) in Gloucestershire. A clue to the appeal is the inscription 'M Mountain, 5 Orphan House, Ashley Down, Bristol, 1879'.

Collected by a Scottish enthusiast, 26 railway station totems – the enamel signs introduced across the UK by newly nationalised British Rail in 1948 – gained UK-wide interest at McTear’s (24% buyer’s premium) in Glasgow.

A highlight of the Summer’s Bounty Auction held by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries (17%/20% online buyer’s premium) of Maine was this British reverse glass painting dated to the late 18th century.

Nestlé, today a Swiss multinational corporation, was a much smaller company when this rare lithographed showcard was made.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.