UK

Rupert Toovey of Toovey’s and Jeremy Lamond of Halls are bringing the auctioneering profession together in Oxford for a black tie gala dinner on Friday, September 21, followed by lectures the next day.

An interesting sporting gun found its way into Wallis & Wallis’s (17.5% buyer's premium) predominantly militaria sale in Lewes on June 12.

To most people air guns are the low-powered toys that little boys play about with in the back garden, but the air rifle has a surprisingly long history and at one time they were among the most feared weapons on the battlefield.

“We had the idea of bringing speciality markets into the city before Mary Portas,” says Jackie Edwards, who runs two booming Sunday monthly markets in Winchester.

“My dear Caroline, The enclosed Ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your Uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you.”

Made around 260 years ago, a rare English slipware press-moulded dish came undamaged from a Welsh Marches vendor into the Shrewsbury salerooms of Halls, lighting up the eyes of fine art director Jeremy Lamond whose specialty is ceramics.

The continuing strength of the Chinese market – both the seemingly endless supply of Chinese ceramics and works of art and the demand for them – has meant provincial auctioneers have had to become increasingly knowledgeable about what is on their doorstep.

While 19th century wheel, or banjo, barometers have not been the most sought after items at auction in recent times, 18th century stick barometers can still bring strong demand, as evidenced by the George III example pictured here.

Thomson Roddick Scottish Auctions will sell the collection of the late Andrew Elliott, a solicitor, plantsman and well-known patron of Scottish art who was involved in establishing the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh at their sale in the city on August 30.

A David Hockney (b.1937) print is the highlight of The Cotswold Auction Company’s sale in Cheltenham on August 29.

Burstow and Hewett of Battle in East Sussex will offer this landscape painting by Scottish artist Francis Cadell (1883-1937) on September 26.

The major Scottish sales series is already under way but Bonhams will offer their designated two-part sale later, starting on August 20 in Edinburgh.

Any sale where European silver plays a big role is likely to see the goldsmiths of Nuremberg well represented, and so it was at Woolley & Wallis’ most recent two-day auction in Salisbury.

Regional auctioneers are showing their confidence in the future as they embark upon new building projects.

An illustration of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin by Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) was the star attraction at a recent auction in Wales.

Many objects can go on show for the first time now that the William Morris Gallery has reopened after a £5m revamp.

A pair of running spikes that belonged to double Olympic 100m and 200m gold medallist Usain Bolt sped to a £25,000 price at a Birmingham charity auction.

Coins, medals and watches worth over £50,000 have been stolen as a series of museum break-ins continues.

There were several highlights at Bonhams’ (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) latest portrait miniatures sale in Knightsbridge on June 28.

Last month, we reported on Sue Ede’s purchase of The Bath Decorative Antiques Fair from Robin Coleman, the Bath-based dealer who has organised the event for the past 23 years.