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A copy of WB Yeats’ The Wanderings of Oisin… offered in a recent Irish sale was an example of Fisher Unwin’s 1892 second issue. That is rare enough, but this copy bore an inscription that made it very special indeed.

A notable feature of the end-of-year book sales in 2018 was the number of online auctions held by the major salerooms.

MADAM – Re: ivory ban. I would very much like to add my tuppence worth to this ongoing issue.

"In 2018 we have not seen a great deal of movement in the price of gold and silver, but things could change considerably as we move into 2019," says precious metals dealer Michael Bloomstein of Brighton.

While the market shows increasingly discerning tastes, quality definitely counts at auction.

Packed with a varied selection of precisely 1000 lots, a very thick catalogue rounded off one saleroom’s year in a December 11-12 sale.

Showing hardly any signs of wear and signed by JK Rowling – and originally acquired at a special signing at Harrods, as revealed by a laid-in ticket – a near pristine first issue copy of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' of 1997, appeared at auction earlier this month.

More female talent emerged at Roseberys in the form of this fiery piece of Abstract Expressionism below by American painter Grace Hartigan (1922-2008).

The Victorian Conservative politician Lord Coventry is believed to have commissioned this portrait of favourite hounds Rambler and Marksman.

This seasonal watercolour of figures ice skating in the Lake District (below) sold for a mid-estimate £3600 at local Cumbria saleroom Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) on November 28.

MADAM – Have we lost the plot? Recently the ATG letters page has been taken over by debating whether one television show about antiques is better than the others available.

High-priced luxury handbags and other luxury goods made the most money at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) sale of Costume, Accessories and Textiles at Leyburn but collectors’ interest was more focused on a private collection of hat pins.

Early works from artist known as Marevna is key feature of family collection sold in London.

Three modestly valued works in regional sales, including a mini-sleeper at an Essex auction.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from January 4-31, 2019.

For 30 years the London lawyer David Cooper and his wife Marie devoted themselves to building a collection of Art Deco sculpture.