Auctioneers

The Chinese government has written to a UK auction house to demand a halt to the sale of a silver hunting flask, taken from the Summer Palace when it was sacked by British troops in 1860 during the Second Opium War.

A string of top-end consignments of British works boosted the latest London sales of Modern and Contemporary art.

Alan Elliot’s professional life – he ran a world-class provider of time management and communication systems for many years – overlapped with his private interest in collecting clocks.

Abraham Barachin became the last silversmith to use the Hull town mark of three ducal coronets.

A sale held by Sotheby’s (26/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) to disperse natural history works from the library of Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven, contained a good many lots that brought six-figure bids, but the one featured here was one that proved a surprise.

Platinum jubilee excitement combined with an emotive back story and a royal connection to create the perfect conditions to sell an Elizabeth II brooch

A Victorian sapphire, diamond and pearl brooch-pendant was one of two pieces with Indian roots offered for sale at Duke’s (25% buyer’s premium).

Dreweatts offers a private collection of work by Gerald Benney, perhaps the key figure in the revival of British silversmithing in post-war Britain.

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

The founder of Toovey’s Auctioneers has been appointed Deputy Lieutenant for West Sussex.

Set of charts, plans and views was published by the Admiralty for Royal Navy use

Ketterer’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) recent evening sale in Munich got off to a perfect start.

This Art Deco turquoise, rock crystal and black enamelled silver necklace carries the maker’s mark of the celebrated French atelier René Boivin.

The Summer Sale at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter on July 13-15 includes this mid-Victorian colour change sapphire and rose-cut diamond pendant.

We were concerned to read the letter ‘Salerooms should get on board with in-house shipping’ (ATG No 2548).

The jewellery team at Richard Winterton Auctioneers has expanded.

During renovations of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in 1789, the tomb of the War of the Roses monarch Edward IV (1442-83) was rediscovered and his coffin accidentally opened while being moved.

Swaythling auction includes more than 80 pieces of 18th century English origin