International

Tureens in the form of geese, cockerel, carp, ox head, boar’s head and other animals were an integral part of the grand display in an 18th century European dining room.

A Winter Estates Sale at Neal in New Orleans from February 5-7 opens with just under 200 lots from the estate of journalist, author and hostess Julia Reed.

Two iconic Colt pistols were the big money-earners from both sides of the Atlantic in the pre-Christmas arms and armour sales.

Such was the demand for suits of armour from late 19th and early 20th century collectors that European master armourers were kept hard at work long after the practical need for such protective wear had passed.

Simple, undated note by the Beethoven bought for $220,000 at Heritage auction by a big fan

Sold for €160,000 (£144,145) was a letter sent by Félix Régamy to his brother Frédéric including a drawing of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine in England.

Three recent appointments at auction houses in the US

A plentiful supply of material of British and European interest was on offer among the 703 lots of furniture, jewellery, decorative objects and fine art offered at a recent sale at Nadeau’s (23% buyer’s premium) in Windsor, Connecticut.

On February 25 Doyle in New York will be selling the single-owner Joseph and Miriam Poser Collection of English and American silver card and vesta cases.

France has changed its export licensing system for cultural goods, increasing the value thresholds and removing some red tape.

First edition of Napoleon Hill’s 'Think and Grow Rich' sells at auction

Signed and inscribed Marilyn Monroe photo to 'Joe' poses an auction puzzler

During its New York Americana week Christie’s (25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) held an online-only auction devoted to Chinese export art from January 7-20.

One of only a handful of known examples of Henry III’s gold penny – one of the most fabled coins in all of British numismatics – sold for $720,000 (£554,000) at auction in Dallas last week.

Cortrie in Hamburg is holding an auction of watches and vintage timepieces on February 13.

A 1640, first English language edition of Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince, in a translation by Edward Dacres, was bid to $38,000 (£29,010) in a US sale.

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.

It was not uncommon in the 18th century for a doll to be presented within its own miniature doll-scaled world.