UK

Asian Art in London, the event that promotes London as the centre of the global Asian art trade, has increased the number of its auction house participants for the 21st edition (November 1-10).

I would like to extend my warm congratulations and warm welcome to Freya Simms as the new LAPADA chief executive, writes BADA chairman and dealer Michael Cohen.

While the big-money lots often steal the headlines, much of the antiquities market remains affordable.

After a slow start to the year, the Malvern Flea and Collectors’ Fair is looking forward to a bumper summer.

The rise of modern and contemporary collectors buying antiquities has energised dealers and auction houses to juxtapose old with new. But it can be hard to pull off.

A well-known antiques centre on the point of closure last year after 20 years of trading – and saved in no small part by the social media reach of ATG – will shortly celebrate its first year under new ownership.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

During 'Masterpiece London', Zoe Karafylakis Sperling of Hauser & Wirth, the international modern and contemporary art gallery, reflected that the event made for a change from the gallery’s typical large, frenetic, contemporary art fairs.

Bonhams’ (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) main summer sale of European ceramics took place at its Bond Street rooms on July 5. On offer were 245 lots which raised a hammer total of just under £600,000, with a 62% take-up.

A collection of more than 400 corkscrews assembled over 40 years by an “old-school connoisseur” is to be auctioned at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes.

The original drawing of the map of Winnie-the-Pooh’s 'Hundred Acre Wood' sold for £350,000 (plus 25/20/12% buyer’s premium) at Sotheby’s sale of English Literature, History, Science, Children’s Books and Illustration on July 9-10.

An eclectic array of modern art stood out at the Roseberys London (23% buyer’s premium) sale of 20th century art and design.

A copy of the posthumously published, 1633 first edition of John Donne’s Poems in a neatly rebacked but contemporary sheep binding is a desirable volume in itself.

Highlights from dealer Bernard Jacobson’s huge collection of prints by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) are currently on offer at his London gallery.

The family of the late Paul Whitfield are holding an event in London on the evening of September 26 to celebrate his life. Contact paulwhitfieldmemorial@gmail.com for details.

Celebrating 10 years of sales at Sworders’ (23% buyer’s premium) custom-built auction house (the firm has actually been going since 1782), chairman Guy Schooling was in a justifiably buoyant mood.

More than £35,000 worth of Modern British art from a single-owner collection sold at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) in Winchester on June 27-28.

There were two 1997, first-impression copies of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the June 21 sale held by Bonhams.

Jackie King is an art consultant with a background working in Old Masters for dealers including Silvano Lodi and Brian Koetser. She lives and works in London.