Auctioneers

This Indo-Portuguese ivory inlaid rosewood side table had last been sold in 1950 when it was bought by the ceramicist Eric James Mellon (1925-2014) while an art student in London.

A rare photograph of the poet and playwright Oscar Wilde taken during his time at Magdalen College, Oxford sold for £4200 (plus 22% buyer’s premium) at a Dominic Winter auction.

An undated cast of Giambologna’s Allegory of Astronomy hammered for a remarkable $500,000 (£367,325) at San Rafael Auction Gallery in California.

A British ‘Dandy Horse’ bicycle made c.1819 was the earliest among a group of four rare 19th century examples on offer at Lewes saleroom Gorringe’s.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including promotions at Woolley & Wallis

Focus on a dedicated auction in Sussex that dispersed the single-owner collection of an Anglo-Norwegian who became fascinated by combat in the Far East

Pioneering book covering daily life in Oman and life of the sultan was actually written by an Italian doctor

A cased Powell and Son/ Tranter 4th model 54 bore percussion revolver was offered in a 14½ x 8in (37 x 20cm) oak case with the name plaque to the lid engraved Alfred Hancocks Lieutenant, 1st Worcestershire Volunteers Rifle Corps.

As a market probably regarded as more ‘traditional’ than many others, you might expect arms and armour collectors to be wary of online-only auctions. However, the latest timed online sales at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) of west London show that bidders have embraced the concept.

Although figurative studies, still-lifes and landscapes are most common in the oeuvre of Duncan Grant (1885-1978), it was a work with a somewhat different subject that turned heads at a recent auction in Carmarthen.

Estimated at £500-1000, a “scarce” 10 bore military flintlock musket instead hammered at £9200 in the February 25 auction at Kent saleroom C&T (22% buyer’s premium).

A “fine”.470 calibre percussion long range target rifle by John Dickson & Co of Edinburgh offered at the April 7-8 Antony Cribb (25% buyer’s premium inc VAT) sale was boosted by an inscription from the City of Edinburgh & Midlothian Rifle Association.

The artist Alfred W Hallett (1914-86) is mostly known for his portraits, landscapes and flower paintings made in India from 1938 onwards.

How one venerable firm is accelerating its push into modern collectables

An Indian tulwar offered at JS Fine Art (26.4% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on March 27-30 came with the simple description: “A rare Indian Tulwar from Tipu Sultan’s armoury with a characteristic lion’s head pommel and guard (formerly in the private collection of Robin Wigington).”

Amid tariffs and Trump uncertainties, recent stories have concentrated on the difficulties of doing business with the US. However, the April 29 auction held by Gavin Gardiner (25% buyer’ premum) revealed all is not lost.

Among a good number of works by John Nash (1893-1977) commanding interest at the spring sales this year was a painting titled 'Gnarled Trees' which came to Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Surrey.