Devon

As very personal items, typically weighing little more than an ounce of bullion, the most numerous silver survivors from the 17th century are spoons.

It was a case of the cows coming home after 30 years for one buyer at a recent auction.

Anything and everything to do with the garden is how Hyson Fairs describes its popular fairs in Devon.

As the sale title suggested, plenty of Bowie material appeared in Omega’s (28% buyer’s premium inc VAT) David Bowie & Glam Rock Vinyl Records & Memorabilia auction earlier this year.

Bolstered by a strong melt price of over £15 an ounce, domestic silver hollowwares and flatwares are selling strongly. However, it is the pieces of collectable value – novelties, provincial rarities and the work of the best Georgian, Regency and Victorian smiths – that continue to perform best in the market

A group of works from the estate of West Country artist Michael Morgan (1928-2014) drew bidding at a recent sale at Atkins Auctions (15% buyer’s premium) of Axminster, Devon.

An extensive selection of Pelham Puppets came up on the first day of the Piers Motley (18% buyer’s premium) auction in Devon on January 18-20.

How did toy manufacturers get boys in the rather less PC 1960s to play with dolls?

Two exceptional examples of ethnographic art – one from the north-west coast of America, the other for Polynesia – sold in the UK regions last month.

Memorabilia relating to members of a pioneering elite group of female pilots who flew in the Second World War soared over estimates at two auction houses.

In an enterprising move early last year dealer Lydia Wood launched an antiques trail in Ashburton, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.

The Tavistock Pannier Market may well see an influx of sleeper-hunters following the canny purchase in June of a piece described as ‘a Cornish tile’.

Boxes such as these fashioned and painted as cottages are among the most desirable of all 19th century caddies and boxes.

At the very beginning of July, Adam Partridge in Liverpool sold an early 20th century Spode cup and saucer to a highly desirable ‘liner china’ pattern for £8400.