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A Massachusetts auction house is being sued for breach of contract and malpractice after a Chinese vase it sold for $23,000 returned to auction six months later at Christie’s Hong Kong where it brought $1.55m.

Police are warning auctioneers in the South East of England to be on the alert after a string of firms have fallen foul of a man signing dud cheques. In the space of a month at least nine auctioneers have been hit by the deception – parting with antiques with a total value running into tens of thousands of pounds.

Ebay, flourishing survivors of the e-commerce boom and bust, have again out-performed forecasts, showing continued strong growth in the second quarter of 2003. The California-based company, who now include the electronic-payments business PayPal in their revenues, showed profits of $109.7m on a turnover of $509.3m.

Planning to shortly reopen their Marlborough saleroom, Hamptons have appointed John Haycraft, formerly of Phillips and Dreweatt Neate, as senior valuer and auctioneer.

SPAIN: The spring and early summer auctions in Madrid were notable for one outstanding sale held at Alcalá Subastas, which generated not only a very large total but also some controversy. Alcalá Subastas (15% buyer’s premium) counts on the considerable expertise of Richard de Willermin as their paintings expert.

Coming up in new York: A large complement of classic American posters by James Montgomery Flagg are featured among the WWI and WWII images in Swann Galleries’ annual summer sale of Vintage Posters in the Big Apple on August 6.

Following the Camard auction, the most important 20th Century Decorative Arts sale of the Paris summer season, was that staged by ArtCurial (20.33/17.94/11.96% buyer’s premium) at the Hôtel Dassault on July 2.

THERE is no getting away from the appeal of railways which were a major feature in one of two Midlands toy sales in June. The June 18 sale in Rugby held by toys specialists Vectis (15% buyer’s premium) set two modest records among a collection of Hornby items starting with a mint and boxed group of four 00 gauge petrol tankers.

TWO months ago in our Decoration and Design column we reported the launch of the Metal Gallery in Mayfair, a new showcase for contemporary metalwork of all kinds.

In terms of ‘Old Masters’ in their strictest sense, the July 9 sale sale at Bonhams (19.5/10% buyer’s premium) Knightsbridge might have been conspicuously short of quality, but the presence of this fine George Stubbs (1724-1806) canvas of a dark bay in a landscape. right, gave proceedings a lift when it sold at £1.75m to an American collector represented by London dealer Ray Waterhouse in the room.

EDINBURGH dealership Georgian Antiques celebrate their 25th anniversary this September and to mark the occasion partner John Dixon will be available for the whole month for free valuations of furniture and other antiques at their warehouse at 10 Pattison Street, Leith Links.

It is one of the best known moments in sport. Donald Bradman, batsman without peer, arrives at the crease in his final test match at the Oval on August 14 1948, requiring just four runs for a Test career average of 100.

Subastas Segre (16% buyer’s premium) held their monthly sale from May 20 to 22. In the picture catalogue, top price was the double-estimate €30,000 (£22,060) for a complete set of Goya’s Caprichos, catalogued as First Edition but not in ideal condition. A 3ft 3in (1m) square abstract oil on canvas of 1982 by Fernando Zobel (1942-1984), whose work is highly regarded in Spain, made €23,700 (£17,425).

ON June 17, Finarte-Semenzato held a further sale of furniture and Old Master paintings in Milan, offering almost 540 lots of which less than half sold.

WITH interest in Arts and Crafts and The Celtic Revival resurgent, particularly in Scotland, expect a keen reception for an exhibition to be mounted by the prominent Scottish Arts and Crafts specialists Decorative Arts at Doune.

There has been a proliferation of genuine on-the-premises house sales in the provinces over the past few months, with the latest held by Strides (15% buyer’s premium) of Chichester on July 7 at Cooke’s House in West Burton, near Pulborough, West Sussex.

With a five-year non-compete clause behind her, Leslie Hindman has returned to the auction world with a new 12,000-square-foot auction room in Chicago’s West Loop.

S.J. Shrubsole, the well-known silver dealership of New York, have pleaded guilty to failing to collect around $75,000 in city and state sales taxes on over $900,000 worth of goods. The gallery also pleaded guilty to falsifying tax returns filed with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. They have now paid $150,000 in fines relating to the plea.

Most celebrated for his murals in the café at Tate Britain, Rex Whistler (1905-1944) was also a fine draughtsman and illustrator as is shown in this pen, ink and watercolour drawing, Netherhampton House in the County of Wiltshire, right

Zurich auctioneers Hess-Divo (15% buyer’s premium) held their fourth annual sale of 100 Raritäen on May 7. These events stand apart from their general sales and the catalogues are a mine of information.