Print Edition

On Friday, June 12, Michael Bloomstein of Brighton was paying the following for bulk scrap against a gold fix of: $1735.85 / €1526.63 / £1374.10

This 1890s Japoniste-style photograph frame in brown patinated bronze applied with gilt branches of stylised myosotis is by the Paris firm of Maison Millet.

A rare ‘pocket watch’ sold by East Bristol Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) was more surveillance device than timekeeper.

Originally scheduled for the end of March, an ‘African Americana’ sale planned by Swann Galleries (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) was postponed until May 7, when it was successfully sold online with almost 90% of the 400 lots finding buyers.

Around 20 years ago the owner of a mediaeval manor house in northern Europe made an exciting discovery when clearing out the moats of the fortified house.

MADAM – Re: the article on the front page of ATG No 2446 regarding art and antiques premises reopening.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including The National Gallery in London acquiring a painting by Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) for £325,000 from the Daniel Katz Gallery.

Lemania is a name that should be as well-known as that of Omega or Tissot. The firm – dubbed by one watch blogger as ‘the greatest maker of watches that you may never have heard of’ – provided every single chronograph movement that those much better-known brands used until the 1970s.

Our regular listing of books and works on paper auctions the UK and Ireland.

MADAM – I would be very grateful if any of your readers could shed light on the artist of the attached crayon drawing of Churchill.

MADAM – The Virtual Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair ended last Sunday (May 31) and we are now busy trying to gauge the short-term results. The main reason for putting it on was always to give all the exhibitors, who missed out on the real fair, a platform in May, and I am really touched by the many lovely messages sent to thank me and the team for our efforts.

The Longines WWW is deemed the second rarest of the ‘Dirty Dozen’. These watches, made by 12 different Swiss brands, were ordered by the British Ministry of Defence during the tail-end of the Second World War for issue to army ground personnel.

Two dealers who met at Kempton antiques fair have kept a group of loyal followers happy and entertained during lockdown with inspired Instagram posts.

Fifteen upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.

The Paris Biennale and dealer association Syndicat National des Antiquaires have organised an online auction at Christie’s.

The market for vintage mechanical wristwatches, which began in earnest in Europe in the 1990s, is not yet fully 30 years old but is maturing rapidly.

Auction rooms in France are gradually opening up again, albeit within the limitations of the new health and safety regulations set as a result of the coronavirus and aided by the extra input from absentee bidding on phones and online.

The lockdown may have reduced the number of UK auctions taking place but buyers have been looking more eagerly for opportunities at those events that have been staged.

Christie’s (25/20/13.5% buyer’s premium) has held its first live sales in Paris since lockdown.

From the 1950s-70s, the Rolex produced a range of memorabilia given only to dealers to promote the brand. A vibrant market has grown in the past decade that has broadened the world of watch collectors beyond horology.