Auctioneers

Born in London, artist Tom Roberts (1856-1931) became famous on the other side of the world painting the people and landscape of Australia.

Works painted by the man behind famous comic characters are sold at auction alongside those he acquired

Two English Delftware plates, described on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow a decade ago as “as rare as you can get”, went under the hammer at Woolley & Wallis (26% buyer’s premium) on February 5.

A rarity offered on the opening day of the sale held by Mellors & Kirk (24% buyer’s premium) in Nottingham on February 11-12 was this George III silver pear shape powder flask.

Elaborate cruet frames from the pre-revolutionary period stand out in a traditional sale selection

As well as eight books and manuscripts by Aubrey Beardsley (1872-98) at Christie’s sale of the Barry Humphries collection – plus one photo of the illustrator and author too – the auction included a rare self-portrait.

Salisbury saleroom holds specialist offering staged as part of a three-day sale as demand increases

The so-called ‘dummy board’ or ‘silent companion’ is believed to have originated in Holland during the early 17th century.

“To the inhabitants of Wyndham Road, an unremarkable cul-desac of bungalows in Andover in Hampshire, Mary Stewart Lockhart, the white-haired old lady in number 5, must have seemed equally unremarkable… None of them could have realised that between the World Wars she had been one of the leading furniture makers, designers and businesswomen in the country.”

Famed for his range of characters, Barry Humphries was also a bibliophile of great taste

A piece of British punk fashion history drew stiff competition at Newcastle saleroom Anderson & Garland (25% buyer’s premium).

Shortly after the production of the first batch of his jasperware abolitionist medallion, Josiah Wedgwood sent a package to Benjamin Franklin with a covering letter dated February 1788 saying: “I embrace the opportunity to inclose [sic] for the use of your Excellency and friends, a few Cameos on a subject I am happy to acquaint you is daily more and more taking possession of men’s minds on this side of the Atlantic as well as with you.