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This muscular terracotta modellino of a moor, Il Moro, 2ft 75/8in high (80.5cm), attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), wrested the top slot from a powerfully modelled pair of 16th century bronzes in Sotheby’s (19.5/10% buyer’s premium) 174-lot European Sculpture and Works of Art 900-1900 auction on July 9.

The schwein-degen, or boar sword, is a rare beast. Good examples can elude collectors for decades, and the cobwebbed halls of schloss- dwelling aristocrats are a favourite hiding place. So there was plenty of excitement when an example broke cover at Sotheby’s sale of arms and armour in London on July 10.

The Antiquarian Book Dealers Association have sent out a warning to dealers to be alert to a credit card scam that has already claimed more than $100,000 worth of items from the trade.

FLOODS and foul weather at the beginning of the month forced the postponement of at least one sale in the north of England.

THIS 10 1/2in (27cm) tall George III silver coffee pot, will be offered for sale at Hambleton Auctions in Thornaby when they hold their debut auction on August 22.

WITH the Proms season now upon us it seems fitting that a portrait of the founder of the famous concerts, Sir Henry Wood, topped the pictures on offer at Bonhams Oxford (17.5% buyer’s premium) on June 25.

MALLAMS 463-lot Gloucestershire auction on June 28 (15% buyer's premium) included one of the Victorian olivewood pieces inscribed Jerusalem which have made a couple of startling prices of late.