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A rare enamel advertising sign in almost perfect condition was the biggest eye-catcher at the recent dedicated sale held by specialist Pari (20% buyer’s premium) in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg.

This late Tudor or early Stuart purse or sweet bag with a connection to Mary, Queen of Scots sold for £30,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at a recent sale at Hutchinson Scott.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including news of the inaugural sales series at Bonhams new Hong Kong premises

A single-owner collection of rare 17th to 19th century pocket watches in Australia achieved a white-glove result with 95% of the sale going to international buyers

An early pocket watch by Abraham Louis Breguet with the low serial number 104 was one of the highlights of a recent watch sale at Cortrie (21% buyer’s premium) in Hamburg.

Belgian city’s council was successful with pre-sale deal to buy queen’s plea on behalf of political prisoners

Our selection of lots from 13 upcoming auctions

A cross-section of the work of Terence Cuneo (1907-96) featured as part of Sworders’ latest sale of Modern and Contemporary Art in Stansted Mountfitchet.

Four items including an Irish harp and William Morris designs boasted a family connection to the artist

One of the very first commercial box telephones appeared for sale at White’s Auctions (27% buyer’s premium) in Middleboro, Massachusetts.

This Edwardian diorama offered by Smiths of Newent (20% buyer’s premium) in Gloucestershire depicts a locksmith’s shop.

Getty collection provides another auction highlight while glass and patinated bronze lanterns also shine in Massachusetts

“The Long Range Desert Group were masters of navigation and one of Britain’s most famous special forces. They owed much of their success to the scientific talents of their first commander, Major Ralph Bagnold, whose sun-compass invention revolutionised desert travel.” (National Army Museum.)

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over-estimate and the top prices paid online.

A selection of six watch lots at UK auctions

A special selection of upcoming lots raging from the Encyclopaedia Britannica and Beano to Oppenheimer's passport and Machiavelli’s The Prince

Updated 1960s and 70s versions of earlier Cartier classics are much in demand. The best are those made for the London boutique during the Jean-Jacques Cartier years, with the cases commissioned from the London workshop Wright & Davies and the manual wind movements supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Two examples of substantial model presentation cannon came up at different salerooms recently.

Modern British painter depicted local life in west London including pub interiors and characters