North America

The art world descends on New York in the closing days of January. The Winter Show, Master Drawings New York, and a number of sales at the major auction houses make the season de rigeur for major collectors.

Cotswolds dealer Paul Shutler has sold a pair of EW Godwin-designed andirons to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

Some of the rarest coins in world numismatics were sold at auction in New York last week. Auction sessions spanning seven consecutive days (January 12-18) were held as part of the annual New York International Numismatic Convention, the US’s largest and most prestigious numismatic event known as NYINC.

A set of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings realised a premium-inclusive $250,000 (£187,500) at Heritage Auctions of Dallas.

A recent sale at Marion Antique Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Marion, Massachusetts included a large Meiji vase by Kanamori Soshichi (1821-92).

Dovecotes also cause a flutter in North Carolina as British pottery achieves strong prices

A set of 12 Chinese export pictures depicting the manufacture and distribution of porcelain was among the highlights of a recent sale held by Nadeau’s in Windsor, Connecticut.

As he died more than a decade before the medium really took off, very few photographs of the American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) exist.

A handsome 19th century brass boat tiller hammered for $15,000 (£11,235) at Zevantiques (25% buyer’s premium) in Hallandale, Florida.

Expect records to tumble in the market for Indian art and antiques in 2026.

Prompted by the uniform penny post and the new printing process of chromolithography, the Victorian era was the heyday of the Christmas card.

Lurking among the equestrian portraits in a sale held by The Sporting Art Auction (17.5% buyer’s premium) was an atypical work by Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959).

The opening date for Bonhams’ new US headquarters at 111 West 57th Street, New York, is February 9.

A recent sale marked the first time that the Geneseo, New York, house Cottone Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) has handled a piece of René Lalique (1860-1945) jewellery.

A Japonisme foo dog vase by Émile Gallé (1846-1904) hammered for $35,000 (£26,440) against a guide of $3000-5000 at Rago (27% buyer’s premium) in Lambertville, New Jersey.

“Very few things make me that excited. But this was a really exciting thing.” Tom Sage Jr’s faith was rewarded in September.

Several exhibitors at this month’s edition of The Winter Show in New York have more than 40 years’ experience exhibiting at the fair.

In February in New York, Sotheby’s will offer for sale one of the most important illustrated Hebrew Prayerbooks to come to market: The Rothschild Vienna Mahzor.