Auctioneers

First there was Phillips Reunited, now there is the Bonhams Chelsea Reunion.

THE spectacular and enigmatic spiralling tooth that grows from the upper jaw of the male monodon monoceros, long gave credence to the existence of the unicorn.

The formal state carriage from the family of the Marquess of Londonderry scheduled to be sold by Thimbleby & Shorland on September 6 has been withdrawn from sale by the vendor.

Well-known West Sussex auctioneer Rupert Toovey has been appointed the new chairman of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Arts and Antiques faculty board.

A long-standing member of both the British Antique Dealers’ Association and the vetting committee at the Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair, the late Polly de Courcy-Ireland, who died last year, was without doubt one of the country’s leading authorities on treen. First opened in 1972, her shop in Alresford, Hampshire was a favourite with collectors for over 30 years.

Salisbury auctioneers Woolley & Wallis are putting up their buyer’s premium from 15 to 17.5 per cent plus VAT.

In the family of the Marquess of Londonderry since it was built sometime in the latter quarter of the 19th century, this formal state carriage is deemed the finest to appear at auction for a generation.

On September 10, Litts, the UK’s largest retailer of sporting guns, is holding its inaugural auction of stock.

CHRISTIE’s have announced that they are to sell the four remaining works by Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) that were part of the high profile Bloch-Bauer restitution case.

This recently discovered oil landscape by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734–97) will be offered for sale by Richard Winterton at Hilliards Cross, Lichfield on August 31.

The third reunion of former staff of Phillips auctioneers will take place on Tuesday September 12 at the London Rowing Club, Embankment, Putney from 6pm.

It’s not difficult to see how Dunhill ‘fish tank’ lighters got their name. Not only do these 1950s perspex and electroplated lighters resemble miniature aquariums, but most were decorated with aquatic subjects.

Higher charges and a more sophisticated system of auction guarantees have helped Sotheby’s reap record profits for the second quarter of 2006, doubling profits for the first half of the year compared to 2005.

A new auction company is set to start trading in Hampstead, North London this autumn.

BONHAMS are to roll out a programme of upgrades and improvements across their network of UK provincial salerooms – including plans to move some into new, purpose-built auction centres.

“WE will make a name for ourselves and Australia tomorrow.” This was how Captain Shout fired up his band of troops the night before the assault at Gallipoli in the First World War.

More than two decades since the first sale of golfing memorabilia, this once-booming niche market stands at an important crossroads.

DORSET auctioneers Cottees are under new ownership and have bucked the trend of rising charges in the saleroom by cutting both their buyer’s premium and vendor’s charges.

Four Beatrix Potter watercolour Christmas cards, recently discovered in a Wiltshire attic, will be sold by Highworth, Swindon auctioneers Kidson-Trigg on September 20. The cards have been consigned by descendants of the original recipients, Elizabeth (1888-1977) and Elinor (1886-1979) Lupton.

Underscoring a strength of demand for rhinoceros horn pieces seen in the recent specialist Asian sales, Chiswick Auctions achieved a house record on July 18 when this rhinoceros horn libation cup carved with carp feeding on a waterlily sold to a Taiwanese dealer at £46,000 (plus 15 per cent buyer’s premium). The 18th or possibly 17th century vessel was discovered by auctioneer William Rouse on the sideboard of a modest home in Hanwell, one of West London’s less fashionable suburbs.