Europe

The oeuvre of the Alsatian painter Sebastian Stoskopff (1597-1657) is far from extensive. Only some 60 of his works are thought to exist, of which 26 are signed and 10 dated.

Falling-ball or falling-globe clocks are great horological rarities; only about 30 examples are thought to have survived since their construction in the second half of the 17th century.

In the extensive sale of October 22-25, Wendl in Rudolstadt will be selling the second tranche of the porcelain collection amassed by Kurt Adelsberger.

A late 19th century marble figure of David with the Head of Goliath at his feet was one of the stars at Neumeister (30% buyer’s premium) in Munich this autumn.

Example made in Gujarat or Goa goes to a Portuguese buyer

Among the countless designs that Josef Hoffmann, the Viennese architect and multi-talented driving force behind the Wiener Werkstätte, executed during his long career was a bowl with two scroll handles, sometimes described as a centrepiece.

On January 1, 1901, the German inventor Eduard Thürey applied for a patent for his typewriter design, the layout of which was completely different to all previous forms of writing machines.

In the 1950s-60s, the Yamazaki Gangu company, which traded under the internationally more recognisable name IY Metal Toys, was one of the leading Japanese producers of tinplate toys.

Although the tradition of wood-carving existed in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) in eastern Germany since the 1100s, it was not until the 19th century that the production of intricately crafted wooden folk-art became a fully fledged house industry.

Good sales and happy exhibitors as France’s showpiece fair moves from November to mid-September

At the 23rd edition of the Tribal Art Fair Amsterdam (TAF), one highlight is this Angolan take on a Regency sabre-leg chair, carved c.1850 and priced at £2200 with Adam Prout.

One of the great Märklin rarities came for sale at the latest auction at antique toy specialist Lankes Auktionshaus in Krefeld in western Germany.

Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) was a man of many parts. His father was King John III of Sweden; his mother Catherine was the daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland.

Vase and clock produced around the same time nevertheless display significant design variation

The distinctive 'Portrait of a Lady' by the Hungarian artist Imre Goth was star of the show at an auction at Mehlis (24% buyer’s premium) in Plauen, Germany.