Europe

Top lot in a recent sale conducted by Galerie Bassenge (23% buyer’s premium) of Berlin, at €140,000 (£121,800), was a 1687 first issue of Newton’s 'Principia mathematica….'

As a rule, musical boxes, which were the favoured mode of reproducing music by mechanical means in the salons of Europe and the US during the 19th century, were more or less portable mechanisms.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions - all being held online only for now because of the coronavirus alert.

Anyone walking past the Palais de Chaillot in Paris may have noticed a large sculpture of an architect on the edifice of the north wing. It is the work of the French artist Jean-René Debarre who was born in 1907.

Several surprising prices emerged at Geble (19% buyer’s premium) in Radolfzell on Lake Constance on April 25.

This late 19th century surcoat or longgua, finely embroidered in silk and gold thread with eight dragon roundels, was originally worn by a high-ranking woman at the Chinese Imperial court.

The Paris auction centre Hôtel Drouot intends to reopen on May 25, pending “any government counter-argument”.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from May 5-16, 2020. All sales are now held online due to the coronavirus alert.

Staffordshire blue and white ware, figures and Leeds creamware will be among a selection of English ceramics featured in Maison Jules’ large mixed-discipline auction of art, antiques and vintage items to be held online over three days from May 16-18 in Gent, Belgium.

The Penal Laws weigh heavily on the history of Ireland. Before they were largely repealed in the period 1778-93, the series of statutes were imposed in an attempt to force Irish Catholics (and Protestant dissenters) to accept the established Church of Ireland.

Specialist auction house sells early versions hailing from the US

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from April 28-May 7, 2020. All sales are now held online due to the coronavirus alert.

A luxurious watch with a British royal connection went under the hammer last month at Cortrie (20% buyer’s premium) in Hamburg.

'Portrait of a Young Girl with a Cigarette' was a high-flyer in a sale at Wendl (21% buyer’s premium) in Rudolstadt held before open auctions were prohibited by the German authorities.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from April 22-May 1, 2020. All sales are now held online due to the coronavirus alert.

Aguttes’ drawings auction was one of the only sales not to be postponed after the coronavirus alert.