Reeman Dansie

A fine association copy of Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice was sold by Reeman Dansie (25% buyer’s premium) in Colchester on April 30.

Letters found in family archive include first-hand accounts from St Helena in 1821

As readers may recall from previous articles on these pages, when it comes to the works of the great ornithological artist Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) depictions of game birds tend to be the most commercial subjects.

Letter sent from Holyrood implores a nobleman to support his course in the middle of the Jacobite Rising

Pair of scarce oils by an artist more familiar as a watercolourist emerge at auction in Essex

Generating a huge amount of international media coverage both before and after Reeman Dansie’s (25% buyer’s premium) November 5 sale titled Royalty, Antiques & Fine Art was a piece of fruitcake from the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Prince Philip of Greece on November 20, 1947.

A rare set of Belgian tarot cards, c.1750, came from the Estate of Christopher Rayner, long-standing member of the International Society of Playing Cards and at various times secretary, chairman, vice-president and president of the society.

Encouraging results of two-day sale in Colchester suggests the traditional quiet period provides good selling opportunities

Tyrolean view by the renowned 19th century Norwegian landscape painter emerges in Essex saleroom

The most desirable element of a collection of 18th century white-glazed porcelain figures offered by Reeman Dansie (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Colchester was the Meissen group known as Two Freemasons.

The Fifty Fathoms diving watch was born in the 1950s from the encounter between the Swiss firm Blancpain and the French Ministry of Defence.

A group of four pictures on offer in an Essex auction came from a vendor whose grandmother was part of the Fitzrovian set - the Bohemian group of artists and intellectuals centred around Charlotte Street in London, just north of Soho, in the 1920s-50s.

The north European Mannerist bronze sold for £550,000 against a guide of £250-350 was not the only spectacular sleeper in the August 8 sale at Reeman Dansie (22.5% buyer’s premium).

A usually quiet August was dramatically awakened by a series of sleepers that emerged at three UK regional auction houses.

The general theory goes that traditional portraits of white men are difficult to sell unless they are by a major artist or depict a notable sitter.