Auctioneers

The festive season is upon us. And as art market tradition dictates, this means a generous helping of Old Masters.

Originally given as presents to infants, early dolls, rocking horses and even board games can now inspire passions among collectors far surpassing the delight of children on Christmas morning and far exceeding most doting parents’ budgets.

A rare rocking horse by one of the top 19th-early 20th century makers, FH Ayres of London, left quite a lot to be desired but raced away at Adam Partridge’s (15% buyer’s premium) Macclesfield sale on November 23.

Musicians from different generations provided sound results at Suffolk saleroom Bishop & Miller (19% buyer’s premium).

The Dutch animal painter Paulus Potter (1625-54) succeeded in producing about 100 paintings before he died at the tender age of 28 from tuberculosis.

Despite some condition issues, such as composite body, right hand thumb missing and slight damage to fingers and feet, this bisque head Kämmer & Reinhardt 109 doll sold for £3900 at Hansons (20% buyer’s premium) on November 23.

Arthur Saul’s Famous Game of Chesse-Play…, the first published book on the game written by an Englishman, came out in 1614.

Identifying the sitters of the past is one of the biggest drivers of value when it comes to selling traditional portraits on the secondary market.

Dated 1536 and printed in Antwerp, a defective copy of what is known as the ‘mole’ edition of Tyndale’s Newe Testament – so called from the mole (or perhaps hedgehog) depicted on a stone on which St Paul’s foot is resting in one of the many woodcut illustrations – made £30,000 in a recent London sale.

Capping a vintage year for prime-period Mouseman furniture, a dining suite attracted huge interest when offered for sale in Yorkshire recently.

A monumental silver-gilt and cloisonné enamel kovsh by Feodor Rückert was among the highlights of the latest series of Russian art auctions in London

Danish auctioneer Bruun Rasmussen has withdrawn a Chinese flask from sale for the second time following disagreements over its age.

A pair of William IV candelabra from the Pembroke service led Bonhams’ Important Design: 500 Years of Fine Decorative Arts sale on November 21, selling at £190,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium).