Auctioneers

Early Japanese porcelain models of animals are very rare, and this elephant form koro, c.1700, offered for sale as part of the Woolley & Wallis (25/12% buyer’s premium) Japanese works of art sale appears to be unrecorded.

This Japanese cloisonné casket bears the mark for the Ando Company of Nagoya.

This late 19th century walking cane with sturdy ebonised shaft and silver-plated handle comes with a letter of provenance stating that it had been a gift from Irish revolutionary soldier and politician Michael Collins (1890-1922) to Patrick Baker, head barman at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin.

Appealing to a range of different types of collectors, Victorian and Edwardian animals pin cushions have their own niche in the novelty silver field.

Multi-estimate bidding is no longer just the preserve of Chinese works of art. During the recent Asian art sales, Vietnamese market objects excelled.

The market for Chinese furniture has come on leaps and bounds in 20 years.

This Kangxi (1662-1722) period blue and white brush pot was offered at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) in Stansted Mountfitchet.

Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy ballgown as worn in the 1957 film 'Love In The Afternoon' was the star of the December 7 sale at London fashion specialist Kerry Taylor (25% buyer’s premium).

Brass and steel ‘combination’ or ‘puzzle’ boxes enjoyed a vogue in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Relatively few English mapmakers came to the fore in the 17th century at a time when Dutch cartographers were well ahead of the competition.

Eight frost fairs were held on the Thames between 1607-1814, taking advantage of the firm ice that formed on the river as it flowed slowly in the shallows near the old London Bridge.

Rarely do 19th century Staffordshire figures feature among the top-selling lots at auction these days but two bare-fist boxing champions did just that.

The December 1-2 Country House & Fine Interiors sale at Anderson & Garland (22% buyer’s premium) in Newcastle included a late 17th century walnut longcase clock by local maker William Prevost.

The sale at Thomas R Callan (20% buyer’s premium) in Ayr on December 3-4 included a sketchbook by George Chinnery (1774-1852) dated 1838.

In natural light this English ‘black glass’ onion form wine bottle appears distinctly blue.