Auctioneers

The overall performance of the latest London sales of Old Master pictures and ‘important’ works of art was fairly mixed but the auction houses did at least welcome the return of some big-ticket items.

This 6½in (16cm) Irish silver gilt chalice dating from c.1480 is a rare survival from before the Reformation.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including news of Bonhams' exhibition on Grinling Gibbons.

A set of remarkable wine glasses that had remained in the same family since the 18th century was one of the highlights among quality items in two sales.

European ceramics from renowned US collector come to the New York rostrum.

A large 18th century watercolour of a Scottish loch by William Turner of Oxford (1789-1862) emerged as a star lot at Parker Fine Art (25% buyer’s premium).

Valued at £2000-4000 in an Entertainment, Memorabilia & Movie Props sale held by Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) of Send on May 27 was an uncorrected 1997 proof copy of a book that was soon to make publishing, cinematic and marketing history: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

A single coffee can from the Baltic Service was among the highlights of Hansons’ (25% buyer’s premium) sale on June 9, selling to a collector at £2000.

Sporting artist John Boultbee (1753-1812) is best known for portraits of horses and cattle.

Gloucestershire sale offered ‘finest library of early numismatic books still in private hands’.

This splendid Leeds pearlware horse, c.1810, was one of two offered at Christie’s (25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) on June 8 as part of a sale that combined property from seven titled vendors.

The sale of European Décor and Design to be held by Skinner in Massachusetts online from July 20-29 will include a large selection of Wedgwood ceramics.

Books and periodicals from the John Warburton motoring library featured in a May 25 sale presented by Transport Collector Auctions & Lawrences (25% buyer’s premium) in the latter’s Crewkerne salerooms.

Some exceptional pieces of Lowestoft featured in Bonhams’ (27.5/25% buyer’s premium) sale on June 23 – many of them from a single vendor.

A classic west of Ireland landscape by Paul Henry (1877-1958) was among the top-sellers at the latest round of Irish art sales in Dublin.

These two teapots – among the top-selling lots at the Woolley & Wallis (25/12% buyer's premium) sale of English and European Ceramics and Glass on June 16 – came for sale from the family of Lady Kate Davson, known to many by her maiden name of Kate Foster (1938-2020).

Back in 1990, following a famous and much-repeated Henry Sandon valuation on BBC Antiques Roadshow, a late 17th century slipware owl jug and cover was acquired by the Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent for £22,000.

View of George III’s new wife’s journey shows departure instead of the usual arrival.