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The overall value of online sales in the art market increased by 15% in the last year, though many buyers remain cautious about purchasing in this way, according to the annual Hiscox Online Art Trade Report.

A fine collection of Meiji and 19th century Chinese ivory works of art sold at Hansons (17.5% buyer’s premium) offered a window onto a turbulent market.

It wasn’t so much a Road to Damascus moment for Edward Crichton but more the road back to Bury St Edmunds, a car journey that provided the Lacy Scott & Knight auctioneer with much-needed think time.

An Old Master marine painting looted by the Nazis during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 has been returned to Poland.

Among a handful of pieces of Gallé French art glass in a sale of decorative arts and design to be held by Tessier Sarrou & Associés at Drouot on May 4 is this example of the designer’s skills in the medium.

A selection of stand-out results achieved at auctions in the UK and abroad.

Silver was among the success stories of the wide-ranging March 30-April 1 sale at Hansons, in particular a 1705 Britannia standard chocolate pot.

One of the more intriguing clocks to come in the market this spring was this early 18th century bracket clock signed to the backplate Cha [rles] Goode, London offered at Duke’s (22% buyer’s premium) on April 12.

A painting by British landscape artist Harry Epworth Allen (1894-1958) drew a flurry of bids at Gardiner Houlgate (20% buyer’s premium) in Corsham near Bath on March 29-31.

A rare English humpback carriage clock is coming up for sale at Dr Crott in Frankfurt on May 6. The 6in (16cm) high calendar timepiece with phases of the moon and an English lever escapement was manufactured in the 1890s by Jump of London.

A French School painting, catalogued as early 18th century, drew strong bidding at Stride & Son’s (20% buyer’s premium inc VAT) sale in Chichester on March 31.

News in brief from around the auction houses...

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period April 20-26, 2017. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

This flock of five sheep, Nouveaux Moutons, by the popular French designer François-Xavier Lalanne, will feature in Palm Beach Modern Auction’s two-session sale of around 500 lots on May 6 in Palm Beach.

One of the highlights of Mossgreen’s sale of Decorative Arts to be held in Armadale, Melbourne, on May 8-9 is this 11in (26.5cm) diameter 17th century terrestrial table globe with its original mahogany cradle.

A selection of forthcoming UK and international auction highlights.

A Russian ceramic homage to Catherine the Great is among the highlights at Schloss Ahlden’s sale on May 6-7 in Ahlden, Lower Saxony. The impressive 22in (55cm) high bronze-mounted porcelain ensemble in the form of a temple dates to the 1780s or ’90s and is estimated at €48,000. It was produced by the Gardner factory in Moscow, which was founded in 1765.

Interest in 20th century maps is growing rapidly among dealers, collectors and curators. And some are rarer than you might think, writes Tim Bryars.