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Choice examples of British embroidery crossed the block at Brunk Auctions (23% buyer’s premium) in Asheville, North Carolina.

The debut novel by F Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940), This Side of Paradise, was a sensation on its release in March 1920.

Packaging takes Japanese manga character toy ‘worth up to $20,000’ on its own to $100,000 instead

I read with some interest your recent piece on Rosa Bonheur’s painting of a donkey and its sale in New York (ATG No 2680).

Carl (1883-1946) and Rosa Askonas (1891-1980), were the toast of 1920s Austrian society.

This early 18th century portrait by Thomas Gibson (1680-1751) shows Lady Bridget Poulett (1702-73) in her prime.

Noke’s portrait of a humiliated child was one of the very first models from the Royal Doulton HN series

A work catalogued as “an 18th-century French School portrait of a gentleman” went for Can$32,000 (£17,180) at a Montreal sale, well above its broad guide of Can$1000-2000.

Georgian giltwood mirrors were the big winners at Doyle New York’s (28% buyer’s premium) January 28 auction of British and European art and antiques.

A spectacular Wedgwood Fairyland lustre vase in the Dragon King pattern has sold for $87,500 (£67,900) in Kansas.

Gustave Doré (1832-83) was celebrated in the 19th century for his wood-engraving illustrations of Biblical scenes.

Decisively claiming top-lot status in the January 12 sale at Clarke Auction Gallery (28% buyer’s premium) was a Florentine School gold ground and tempera panel that hammered for $230,000 (£177,380).

The February 14 sale at Freeman’s Hindman (27% buyer’s premium) was dubbed Interiors featuring a Collection of Canine Art.

A curious unsigned oil on linen soared past its $800- 1200 guide to achieve $7000 (£5400) at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) in Maine.

The Ephemera Fair, the annual event from the Ephemera Society of America (ESA), runs this year with a conference on the history of invention as well as the usual huge selection of stock.