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The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of dealer and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill setting up a new saleroom in Kent

Throughout the 19th century, the search for Franklin’s ships became a popular unsolved mystery, with various searches sent to find the crew

Stealing the limelight at Dreweatts (26/25% buyer’s premium) latest sale of Modern and Contemporary art, an Algernon Newton (1880-1968) view of the London docklands drew vigorous bidding from five different parties and set the second-highest price for the artist at auction.

Recently found in a trunk containing the possessions of an Edwardian socialite, an electroplated teapot designed by Christopher Dresser c.1879 sold for £63,000 at auction in Cambridge.

The latest survey into the global collecting market indicated a significant decline in spending on art and antiques. However this was mainly down to less activity at the very top end with a greater proportion of sales recorded at lower price levels.

An exceptional pair of late Qing blackwood throne chairs sold for Sin$185,000 (£108,000) at a recent sale at Hotlotz in Singapore.

One of only six known early 17th century copies of an important wall map by pioneering cartographer Andreas Bureus emerges at Stockholms Auktionsverk

The Het Noordbrabants Museum in the Netherlands has acquired one of Vincent van Gogh’s (1853-1890) early portraits for €8.6m (£7.16m).

Early in February 1941, Eric Ravilious (1903-42) wrote to EM O'Rourke Dickey at the Ministry of Information regarding a new commission. ‘I've just had a long visit from a Mr. Gerald Holtom who seems very much to want designs for textiles for some Cotton Board. It would make a change to do this for a bit, and he assures me the whole thing is urgent and necessary.’

Propstore’s auction in London on November 14 will feature props from Star Wars, James Bond and Batman

One of the earliest examples – possibly the every first in existence – came up for auction at Berkshire auction house Loddon