Auctioneers

A group of eight rare pendant ornaments from an Austral Islands necklace has been consigned to Grand Auctions in Folkestone.

Christie’s latest evening sale of Old Masters in London generated a premium inclusive total of £31.2m with records posted for painting by Gerard David (c.1460-1523) and a print by Rembrandt (1606-69).

A collection of letters, drawings, cards and photos from American businessman, publisher and Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner, are to be offered at auction later this month in Chicago.

Old Master dealer Otto Naumann has joined auction house Sotheby’s as senior vice president and client development director in its Old Master paintings division.

A Dutch Old Master painting looted by the Nazis after the Battle of Arnhem but now returned to its rightful owners after 73 years has sold at Sotheby’s for £1.6m.

A book by the 19th century computer pioneer and socialite Ada Lovelace is to be offered at auction in the Cotswolds.

A Scottish furniture retailer plans to expand and open an auction house in Inverness.

An archive relating to three Suffragette sisters has been bought at Hansons’ July 2 auction by a world-renowned expert in the subject and dealer in memorabilia.

Dreweatts 1759, Mallett and SALON, the project space at Saatchi Gallery, have teamed up to stage an exhibition of the paintings of British artist Berenice Sydney (1944-83), her first major UK show in 30 years.

A picture by a pub sign painter and a friend of Lucian Freud (1922-2011) found in a cellar in Suffolk actually contains not one, but two early works by the renowned artist.

Han Solo’s blaster used in the Return of The Jedi has made a much bigger and successful impact than the struggling Star Wars spin-off film relating to the wise-cracking charmer first played by Harrison Ford.

Down but not out, a smashed Qing porcelain famille vase sold for an unexpected £94,000 (plus 18% buyer’s premium) at Adam Partridge in Macclesfield on June 28.