Auctioneers

This remarkable Charles II period silver clock-watch with alarm appeared for sale at Wotton Auction Rooms in Gloucestershire this month.

The second instalment of Meissen porcelain from the collection of German businessman Hadrian Maria Oskar Merkle (1942-2018) was sold at a recent sale at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr of Paris.

This late Tudor or early Stuart purse or sweet bag with a connection to Mary, Queen of Scots sold for £30,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at a recent sale at Hutchinson Scott.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including news of the inaugural sales series at Bonhams new Hong Kong premises

Belgian city’s council was successful with pre-sale deal to buy queen’s plea on behalf of political prisoners

A cross-section of the work of Terence Cuneo (1907-96) featured as part of Sworders’ latest sale of Modern and Contemporary Art in Stansted Mountfitchet.

Four items including an Irish harp and William Morris designs boasted a family connection to the artist

“The Long Range Desert Group were masters of navigation and one of Britain’s most famous special forces. They owed much of their success to the scientific talents of their first commander, Major Ralph Bagnold, whose sun-compass invention revolutionised desert travel.” (National Army Museum.)

A selection of six watch lots at UK auctions

Updated 1960s and 70s versions of earlier Cartier classics are much in demand. The best are those made for the London boutique during the Jean-Jacques Cartier years, with the cases commissioned from the London workshop Wright & Davies and the manual wind movements supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Two examples of substantial model presentation cannon came up at different salerooms recently.

Modern British painter depicted local life in west London including pub interiors and characters

The highest price at auction for a Bristol orphanage sampler was registered at Mellors & Kirk (24% buyer’s premium) in Nottingham.

Camerer Cuss watches carry a certain cachet.

In Norman Dean’s day, to be a watch collector was to collect pocket watches. In today’s market, when the 20th century mechanical wristwatch is king, demand for pocket watches is now markedly segmented.

Although born in the La Croix-Rousse district of Lyon, Antoine François Jean Claudet (1797-1867) is best known for his contribution to the history of British photography.

Advertising showcards were displayed in grocers and chemist shops, often as counter displays or hanging signs.