The Farnese Hercules, the famous antique marble figure of the muscular Greek hero leaning on his club and lion skin, was first recorded in 1556 when it was discovered in the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.
Signed by Glykon, it proceeded to fix the image of the mythic hero throughout Europe and through the following centuries it was reproduced many times in marble and bronze.
This 11½in (29cm) high 18th century Italian bronze figure of the Farnese Hercules above is guided at £500-800 at Hannam’s Auctioneers in Selborne, Hampshire, on September 3-5.
A private London collection of 20th century prints, paintings and studio pottery will feature at Dawson’s Auctioneers in Maidenhead on August 25.
The group includes prints by Patrick Caulfield, Patrick Hughes and John Piper, original works by Peter Howson and Tai-Shan Schierenberg and a selection of studio pottery by David Leach, John Turner and Michael Cardew.
Outdoors, a 20in x 2ft 1in (51 x 63cm) hand-painted 3D multiple with lithography by Patrick Hughes (b.1939) from an edition of 35, pictured above, is estimated at £1500-2000.
This battery-operated, large black tinplate mechanised robot made by Japanese maker Nomura Toys is estimated at £600-800 in a sale of toys and model trains at Special Auction Services of Newbury on August 29.
Famously based on MGM’s 1956 sci-fi film Forbidden Planet, which Nomura was unlicensed to produce such an item for, this robot comes in an original box with a handmade plaster figure of the ‘maiden’ as depicted on the film posters.
specialauctionservices.com or see this item on thesaleroom.com
A sale of mid-century design featuring Scandinavian, American and British designs from the 1950s onwards will take place at W&H Peacock in Cambridgeshire on August 23.
An 8ft 1in (2.47m) long 1960s Danish rosewood and crossbanded sideboard, designed by Arne Hovmand-Olsen (1919-89) for Mogens Kold, is guided at £800-1200.
peacockauction.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
