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CAPTAIN Thomas Bowrey’s principal claim to fame has been as the author of a 1701 English-Malay dictionary. Despite criticism of its clumsy errors, eccentricities of transliteration and quaint dialogues, this remained a standard reference for over 100 years.

Extra caution is advised when purchasing ‘prisoner of war’ bone ship models following the appearance at auction in March of three models specialists believe are 20th century replicas.

Dreweatt Neate compared two different online bidding platforms side by side at two sales last week.

FEARS that the European Commission’s proposals to restrict the use of mercury could threaten the trade in antique barometers appear to have receded for the time being at least.

The enormous potential of the market for contemporary Chinese art was dramatically underlined by almost frenzied scenes at Sotheby’s (20/12% buyer’s premium) eagerly awaited March 31 Contemporary Art Asia sale in New York.

Whether it was the result of quiet, pious reflection, plentiful practice, or simply the bonds between close friends, the samplers produced by the girls of Ackworth School in West Yorkshire developed a distinct individual style.

BAMF urge fight against piecemeal London Bill THE House of Lords committee that is looking into the London Local Authorities Bill has urged the Government to find a national solution to the regulation of the market in secondhand goods.

As ATG went to press, the best-selling work of art in last week’s series of Islamic sales in London was this impressive 16in (40cm) diameter blue and white Iznik pottery dish, right, offered at Christie’s on April 4.

As part of an on-going makeover, LAPADA havelaunched their newly-designed website. For the first time the UK’s largest association of art and antiques dealers will offer members the opportunity to create their own online gallery within the site.

Book buyers on the internet are likely to face higher prices when the Advanced Book Exchange introduces new charges to booksellers on April 3.

A substantial portion of the antiques stolen from Ramsbury Manor, near Marlborough in Wiltshire, on February 1, have been recovered near Stratford-upon-Avon.

In last week’s ATG we revealed how a sketchily catalogued box of over 130 19th century photographs estimated at £80-120 in a Cumbrian auction house proved to be a cache of images made by the early daguerreotype process and ended up selling to Ken Jacobson for £75,000.

There was high drama at Lyon and Turnbull’s Edinburgh saleroom on March 26 when this celadon moonflask, left, estimated at £2000-3000, shot to a house record £275,000 (plus 19.5/12% buyer’s premium).

BAMF call on parliament to hold off in favour of nationwide legislation

For those collectors of Ronson lighters and Guinness Memorabilia who were unable to make the trip to Yorkshire in person, online bidding was the perfect solution to participate in Tennants sale of Saturday, March 18.

Before embarking on his 1907-09 expedition to the Antarctic, Ernest Shackleton sent Ernest Joyce and Frank Wild on a crash course in printing and had a press and associated materials loaded onto the Nimrod.

Following its recent discovery by a metal detectorist in the south of England, one of Britain’s rarest medieval coins is to be sold by London numismatists Spink.

"Lot 132. A 19th century mahogany box containing a quantity of 19th century photographs: 15 small images of stonework on metal, 50 images of buildings on metal, 70 small images of buildings on metal and 14 of buildings on card. Box poor condition, many images poor condition."

When Buckingham auctioneer John Dickins sold an ebony mantel clock by the pioneering British designer C.F.A. Voysey in September 2004 for £72,000 (see ATG No 1658, October 2, 2004) he was naturally delighted. These highly desirable icons of arts and crafts horology are very scarce (only half a dozen in aluminium, oak or painted oak had been recorded at that point) so a new addition to the canon was noteworthy.

LIVE bidding from ATG's online service the-saleroom.com got off to a smooth start on March 15 at Donnington Priory.