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“Everyone’s looking over their shoulder and being careful not to overstock at the moment,” says Stephen Mould of Sotheby’s (10% buyer’s premium), whose June 27-28 single-owner sale of Finest and Rarest Wines The Great Collection nonetheless took £2.4m, the fourth highest total ever achieved for a single-owner wine sale.

ANGELA Nevill has been elected chairman of the Society of London Art Dealers and Christopher Battiscombe will take over as general secretary at the beginning of September from Neil Smith, who retires at the end of July.

THEY came, they saw, they appeared interested – but on sale day at Holloways, Banbury, the buyers, particularly the trade, were in the cautious sort of mood auctioneers across Britain have been experiencing in the quiet post-Olympia days.

UK: This article looks at a magnificent Book of Hours illustrated for one of the wealthiest prelates and patrons of the arts in 16th century Europe, Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg.

UK: In the days before Lara Croft burst onto the digitalised scene, playtimes revolved around the handmade charms of Mitzi, Chloe, Witch, Dutch Girl and other pine wood beauties from the puppet stable of Bob Pelham.

The recent British Antiques and Collectables Awards did not have a category for ‘best gallery catalogue’ (sponsors, please note); however, if there had been, Elizabeth Harvey-Lee (1 West Cottages, Middle Aston Road, North Aston, Oxon OX25 5QB. Tel: 01869 347164) would surely have been on the shortlist.

While Lyon & Turnbull enjoyed the lion’s share of the audience for the two sales in Edinburgh at the end of June, Phillips (15/10 per cent buyer’s premium) at least had the most surprising result in the form of this Tunbridgeware sewing/writing table by Fenner and Co., estimated at £300-500.