UK

This gold ring mounted with an oval intaglio of the Roman god Mars made a multi-estimate £9000 at a sale of jewellery at Salisbury saleroom Woolley & Wallis (25% buyer’s premium).

A monogram and faint signature to a botanical study sold at Derbyshire saleroom Hansons (20% buyer’s premium) revealed it to be the work of celebrated Australian artist Sidney Nolan (1917-92).

Although the antiquities market is more stringently regulated than ever before, the possibility of illicit material continues to cause concern for collectors of antiquities. This places a greater financial value on pieces with long watertight provenances.

In the Classical world, the so-called pyxis – a small round box used for storing trinkets, ointments or cosmetics – was often made from wood and other materials, but rarely in gold.

An exhibition of works by René Gruau (1909-2004), whose illustrations helped to reinvigorate the Parisian fashion industry after the Second World War, features on the stand of Galerie Alexis Pentcheff at the inaugural 'Draw Art Fair London'.

This finely preserved Roman sports mask of a youthful African prince may depict Lusius Quietus (98- 117AD), one of Rome’s great cavalry commanders.

This oil on canvas of A June Day, Ludlow by Beryl Maud Sinclair (1901-67) is among the works featured at Miles Wynn Cato’s final exhibition devoted to views of the Shropshire market town.

An etching by Rembrandt (1606-69) offered by CG Boerner for a five-figure sum was among the stand-out Old Master sales during the recent London Original Print Fair.

With ‘on the premises’ country house contents sales now so rare, the more usual practice is for the better pieces to be removed to saleroom bases.

This 1979 photograph by German artist Astrid Klein is among the works on show at The Arts Club in London this summer.

A classic SAS beige beret from the Second World War has sold for what is believed to be a record-breaking £17,500 hammer price.

Dr Ivan Bonchev is founder of Pax Romana in London, a specialist gallery and auction house offering ancient art and numismatics. He launched the business six years ago.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

Troubling subjects to today’s society as they may be, promotional materials for tobacco, alcohol, chocolates and petrol from the 19th and early 20th centuries remain a popular choice for collectors.

Pitched at £15,000-25,000, a rare 16th century French work made its lower estimate at Mellors & Kirk (20% buyer’s premium).

Thirty years ago organiser Matthew Adams launched his antiques fair held at the Royal Horticultural Halls.

Barry Fletcher specialises in vintage rugs and comes over regularly from Belgium to stand at the 50-dealer monthly Bath Vintage & Antiques Market.

An 1831, third (first illustrated) edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a version that not only contained a new introduction but added a new chapter to that famous work, sold for £2800 in a Norfolk sale.