Europe

A local collector who consigned a pair of Chinese porcelain vases to Hargesheimer (25% buyer’s premium) in Düsseldorf was in for a substantial pre-Christmas surprise.

Presented on vellum with luxury colouring and illuminated with silver and gold, this is a rare first edition of Theuerdank.

Just before the turn of the century, the Austrian artist Koloman Moser began working as a teacher at the Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Arts and Crafts) in Vienna. He was equally proficient in painting as he was in designing jewellery, silverware or ceramics.

This portrait of a young girl with a red headscarf caused the biggest surprise in the latest sale of Russian art at Dr Fischer (28% buyer’s premium) in Heilbronn, Germany.

In a market challenged by a lack of fresh consignments, works new to the saleroom stand out

Presenting, as always, huge numbers of lots – some 2800 this time, an auction held by Reiss & Sohn (19% buyer’s premium) produced some notable prices.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book and works on paper sales.

Two Diego Giacometti (1902-85) bronze tables from an ‘important collection’ in Sydney appeared in a Paris auction after being consigned via an Australian saleroom.

Cologne auction house offers fine selection of 18th century works made by both father and son

Works by Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918) were the highlights of the Koller (25/22/15% buyer’s premium) sale of Swiss Art, held in Zurich as part of its December auction series.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions.

One of the last Georges de la Tour (1593-1652) paintings in private hands was sold by Cologne auction house Lempertz on December 8.

Two-sided picture now heading to Dijon museum after being given definite attribution

This painted wooden sign dated to the 18th century was one of the highlights of a sale held by the Hôtel des Ventes de Nîmes (22.2% buyer’s premium) in the southern French city.

This small carved boxwood domed box features in the sale of antique furniture and works of art at Aguttes in Neuilly on December 21.

Five bidders – two Americans, one French and one Cypriot – competed to secure a small 15th centry devotional oil on panel of the Virgin and Child by the Italian artist Lazzaro Bastiani.