International

A bronze vase by the Parisian goldsmith Lucien Gaillard caused a stir at Dobiaschofsky (25% buyer’s premium) in Bern.

Passed down through generations at the historic Hayes Plantation in Edenton, North Carolina, the only privately held Ratification copy of the American Constitution dating to 1787 sold for a whopping $9m (£6.94m).

Swiss coin auction house Numismatic Genevensis has sold a rare Roman gold coin featuring the portrait of Marcus Junius Brutus for SFr1.5m (£1.34m).

Classic Art Deco designs from a prime period for collectors capture the spirit and style of the period

A small collection of Hester Bateman silver appeared Stateside at Lewis & Grant (25% buyer’s premium) in Newport, Kentucky.

Sculptor Naum Kongiser (1904-84) created the propaganda figure Radio for the Village for the State Porcelain Manufactory in 1927.

The semi-precious stones adorning the hilts and scabbards of many of the best Ottoman swords held talismanic significance.

A Gorham Martelé covered silver tankard hammered for $7500 (£5875) at Grogan & Company (25% buyer’s premium) in Boston at its September 26 Silver and Decorative Arts sale. It was estimated at $2000-3000.

While the big hitter auction houses found the environment challenging, the mid-tier salerooms, dealers and fairs enjoyed a generally more positive experience this year

A familiar and important piece of Scottish silver appeared at Waddington’s (25/22% buyer’s premium) auction in Toronto on November 7.