A celadon vase to a celebrated ‘double-dragon’ form has sold for €1.2m (£1.1m) – a record for Chinese art in Ireland. The 20½in (52cm) vase with a Yongzheng (1722-35) six-character mark was estimated at just €800-1200 at Sheppard’s in Durrow, Co Laois.

A Unesco campaign aimed at increasing public awareness of looted art is threatening to backfire after it emerged the ‘stories’ told in its adverts were fabricated.

This 14in (36cm) diameter ‘double lustre’ shallow dish or charger by William De Morgan (1839-1917) is decorated in the so-called ‘Frightened Bird’ pattern.

This early 17th century silver vervel or hawking ring includes in italic script Kyng James and the quartered arms of the Stuart kings.

Christie’s is moving its Asian art sales from London to Paris and Hong Kong from next year.

Like many grand country estates, the 17th century Grade I-listed Palladian house Aynhoe Park, seat of the Cartwright family until 1959, endured a 20th century decline.

With the defeat of Catholic attempts against the Protestant monarchy in the 17th and 18th centuries, penal laws were imposed in Ireland.

Small Britannia standard silver bowls are the signature pieces the Scottish silversmith Michael Lloyd (c.1950).

As hugely personal items and of relatively small melt value, spoons represent the great majority of English domestic silver items surviving from the pre-civil war period.

A special focus on stand-out lots in decorative art & design auctions coming up this month.

A rare Charles II commemorative silver thimble sold for £980 at Bleasdales (20% buyer’s premium).

Our weekly selection from salerooms.

The artist, cleric, schoolmaster and author William Gilpin (1724-1804) is best known as a champion of the Romantic idea of the picturesque.

Estimated at £6000-8000, an Anglo-Saxon bronze gaming piece – a metal-detecting find for the consignor – sold for £95,000 (plus premium) at the latest auction at TimeLine in Harwich, Essex.

London studio pottery specialist Maak achieved a record £200,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) for this vessel by Magdalene Odundo (b.1950).

Sotheby’s (26/21/14.9% buyer’s premium) Important Chinese Art sale on November 4 included two spectacular Qing dragon dishes – both consigned from continental European sources and both in near-perfect condition.