Auctioneers

Perhaps the most famous 21st century image of Queen Elizabeth II is the photographic portrait taken by Canadian artist Chris Levine (b.1960) showing the monarch with her eyes closed.

“It is quite pathetic to see the Prince and Freda. His love is so obvious and undisguisable.”

Estimated at £120-150, this modest 7in (17cm) high Chinese export silver golfing trophy sold for £5500 at Bourne End Auction Rooms (17.5% buyer’s premium).

On June 14 in Paris Bonhams will hold the first of four sales from the collection of Claude de Marteau which will be on view during the Printemps Asiatique Paris event.

Among the auction houses showing works at the Pagoda will be Irish firm Adam’s, previewing its two Asian spring sales taking place in Dublin on June 28-29.

Pitched at a modest £300-500, a harlequin set of eight Charles II joined oak back stools was one of a number of successes among the furniture offered at Tennants’ (22% buyer’s premium) Leyburn sale.

Chairs and sofas by Howard & Sons are a pricey niche market these days, largely immune to the varying fortunes of the wider market for Victorian and Edwardian furniture.

Aponem is holding a sale at Drouot on June 15.

Special look at the cross-over market for coronation and commemorative items

A presentation diamond brooch given by Queen Elizabeth II to the Duchess of Norfolk for assistance prior to her coronation in 1953 is to be offered by Mayfair auction house Noonans on June 14, estimated at £4000-6000.

Copies of royal portraits from across the centuries are something that always seems to catch the eye when you flick through (or scroll through) the reams of pictures listed in auction catalogues.

One of the potential top lots in Artcurial’s Asian art auction in its Paris saleroom on June 8 will be a large 5ft 7in x 2ft 11in (1.72m x 89cm) lacquered wood panel by the Vietnamese lacquer artist Nguyen Khang (1912-89).

Christie’s is holding an Asian art sale in Paris on July 6 and will be exhibiting works from the auction at the Pagoda during the Printemps Asiatique.

Chinese emperors certainly got the message when it came to artistic advances

The recent auction at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) included the firm’s biannual horological offering.

Arguably the most famous portraits of an English king are Hans Holbein the Younger’s (c.1497-1543) depictions of Henry VIII.