Collectables

This silver-gilt Doncaster Cup racing trophy has hallmarks for Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp for 1767.

Included in Weiss Auctions’ sale in Lynbrook, New York, on June 26 is this British Waterloo Medal for Henry Gronemann, who was in the 5th Line Battalion of the King’s German Legion.

A Forum Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale of May 30 ran to well over 540 lots in all, but it was very early in proceedings that a much, much higher than predicted bid of £26,000 was made on an 1853, presentation first of 'Palm Trees of the Amazon and their uses.

A remarkable example of 16th century cross-culture art – a feather ‘mosaic’ picture made in Mexico for Christian conquerors – has been purchased at auction by the Musée du Quai Branly.

Tender letters from artist Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones to the daughter of his patron reveal the “emotional support” he craved.

Best-seller and one of the biggest surprises at the white-glove sale of a mechanical music collection was a musical box, the catalogue entry of which could be summarised as ‘famous name, doesn’t work’.

At the PBFA London Antiquarian Book Fair, from June 6-7 at Ibis London in Earls Court, Rainford & Parris brings a collection of seven children’s books by Penelope Lively.

Ben Kinmont specialises in antiquarian books on gastronomy in California and is among the exhibitors at 'Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair'.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Over in Kensington Gore’s Royal Geographical Society, The London Map Fair includes an astronomical highlight to mark the 50th anniversary of the first moonwalk. The map, signed and inscribed by Buzz Aldrin, shows the lunar landing site, and is offered by The Map House for £7500.

As part of their first world tour, The Beatles played the Princess Theatre in Hong Kong twice in June 1964.