Auctioneers

When Hartleys’ valuer Daisy Hodgson was rummaging through an old biscuit tin in a family home in north London she spotted something that she thought might have great potential.

The latest series of Old Master sales in London put in a decent if not stellar performance, aided by one or two notable lots and a couple of important collections coming forward to the auction block this season.

Mullock’s Auctions has relocated its saleroom closer to Telford.

A bust of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius sold for more than ten-times its low estimate at a Sotheby's sale

The second tranche of the collection of Hong Kong property investor Sir Joseph Hotung (1930-2021) generated some strong competition at Sotheby’s in London with a number of high-value pictures, as well some exceptional pieces of furniture, ceramics and decorative art, on offer last week.

The last few months have been an interesting time for followers of John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-93).

Death at the auction is not normally seen as good news for obvious reasons.

Engraving on Tiffany pepperette reveals the provenance as a princely present in 1879

The creation of James T Palmatary, the engraved and framed birds-eye view or plan of Chicago of 1857 pictured above is almost 7ft wide.

Jean (1913-92) and Jacqueline (1920- 2009) Lérat were artist ceramicists based in central France.

Found in a cigar box during an attic clearance and taken to Exeter auction house Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood (25% buyer’s premium), seven framed daguerreotypes in poor condition provided one of the better sleepers of the year on November 22-23.

Found by head of department Catriona Smith in a box of mixed jewellery, this rare 16th or 17th century gold ‘toadstone’ ring came for sale at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium).

The philanthropist, retired businessman and one-time Olympian bobsledder for Canada, Sir Christopher Ondaatje, chose a good time to sell a painting depicting a young 19th century black woman.

This youthful work by Edouard Manet (1832-83) was the top-seller in the Modern and Contemporary auction at Tajan (26/21/14% buyer’s premium) in Paris.

Commissioned by the 'Illustrated London Times' to document the construction of the mighty Great Eastern, the young photographer Robert Howlett (1831-58) took some of the most famous images of ship’s designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59).

Group of works by the uncle and nephew attracts significant Indian bidder interest

Illuminated manuscript c.1470 is a highlight in Gloucestershire saleroom

A very fine Victorian butterfly collection formed between c.1880-1920 was offered by Minster Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Leominster on November 24.

The collection of the original Troika moulds, referenced in ATG No 2564, failed to find a buyer in our monthly auction in October.

An old family collection of Martin Brothers stonewares, assembled with purchases from the Southall potters in the late 19th and early 20th century, was offered in Cambridgeshire.