US

Morphy Auctions will take over Old Toy Soldier Auctions (OTSA) following the death of founder Ray Haradin.

A recent rare books sale at Heritage Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in the US delivered strong performances for a handful of coveted 20th century firsts in dust jackets.

Based in Lyndhurst in southern England, the late Victorian painter Arthur Batt (1846-1911) ploughed his artistic furrow painting dogs and donkeys either as portraits or in New Forest settings.

A fine example of French Art Nouveau furniture more than doubled its high estimate at Collective Hudson (30% buyer’s premium) in Kingston, New York.

A Louis Comfort Tiffany pendant-necklace with matching ear clips in gold, star sapphire, moonstones, and enamel hammered for $200,000 (£148,000) at Doyle (28/27% buyer’s premium).

Image possibly showing co-creator of the ambrotype brings major bidding battle in the US

This 18 x 15in (45 x 38cm) oil portrait of an English springer spaniel is by the great Orientalist Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).

Rolling to top lot honours in New York at Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) was a 1929 poster for the long defunct automotive brand Pierce-Arrow.

The notorious Victorian-era erotic magazine 'The Pearl' (subtitled 'Journal of Facetiae and Voluptuous Reading') was published by William Lazenby in London between July 1879 and December 1880.

Footballers were among the very first of the Britains hollowcast lead ‘civilian’ figures.

Watercolour can be traced back to nobleman and antiquary who commissioned the illustrator Leonardi

One of the rarest of all of the 31 car mascots made by Lalique from 1925-31 came up for auction at Jeffrey Evans & Associates (25% buyer’s premium) in Mount Crawford, Virginia.

The presence of the author’s signature dramatically enhanced the value of a copy of Ian Fleming’s (1908-64) first collection of James Bond short stories 'For Your Eyes Only' offered at an auction at University Archives (25% buyer’s premium).

Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) recorded head-turning sales during its series of New York sales in May.

It is with sadness that I advise the passing of a wonderful person who was also my client, Ray Haradin. He was only 60.