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Posters covering band or artist appearances during the embryonic days of their development are proving very popular at auction – a trend underlined by a group of 1966 Pink Floyd designs.

On Thursday, December 20, Michael Bloomstein of Brighton was paying the following for bulk scrap against a gold fix of: $1255.00 / €1072.71 / £988.69.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including a report on fakes in the vintage whisky market.

Never out of fashion, the best furniture by Robert Thompson is going through one of its periodic surges – as evident at Wilkinson’s Doncaster rooms last month (ATG No 2369) and at Sworders of Stansted Mountfichet (ATG No 2363) in October.

Philip and Claire Crosthwaite, who run Hingham Antiques Fairs in the south Norfolk town, have embarked on a new venture: launching the Norfolk and Suffolk Antique Dealers Association (NASADA).

Illuminated manuscript sales of recent times will be the subject of a future review, but seen here is something a little different in that line offered as the very first lot in a December 1 sale of such material held by Bloomsbury Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium).

Chinese bidders were the driving force at this autumn’s German and Austrian auctions of Asian art.

The arrival of the ivory ban in late 2019 is not the only piece of imminent legislation that the antiques trade should be aware of. The efforts of global art and antiques trade body CINOA are currently focused on two broad issues: anti-money-laundering legislation and laws surrounding the import of cultural goods.

A copy of WB Yeats’ The Wanderings of Oisin… offered in a recent Irish sale was an example of Fisher Unwin’s 1892 second issue. That is rare enough, but this copy bore an inscription that made it very special indeed.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

Toby Campbell of Rafael Valls specialises in Old Master paintings. The gallery, in London’s Duke Street, St James’s, stands annually at TEFAF Maastricht, which next runs from March 16-24, 2019.

A rare Sampson Mordan gilt-mounted porcelain scent bottle features at the next Galloway Antiques Fair, which takes place at The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate from January 4-6.

The two-day Big Brocante held at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood, near Maidstone in Kent, is organised by Katrina Palsager and her family who also run the well-regarded 150-dealer annual Firle Vintage Fair at Firle Place near Lewes.

A notable feature of the end-of-year book sales in 2018 was the number of online auctions held by the major salerooms.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair takes place at Battersea Evolution in the new year, offering a wealth of objects from early oak furniture to fine art to 20th century design.

MADAM – Re: ivory ban. I would very much like to add my tuppence worth to this ongoing issue.

"In 2018 we have not seen a great deal of movement in the price of gold and silver, but things could change considerably as we move into 2019," says precious metals dealer Michael Bloomstein of Brighton.

While the market shows increasingly discerning tastes, quality definitely counts at auction.