Auctions

A Grana Ministry of Defence wristwatch – the hardest to find of the so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ watches made by 12 Swiss manufacturers for the British army– sold for £18,000 at Thomas Miller in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

A wealth of Indian and Islamic art and artefacts are available to view and buy in late October from both participants at Asian Art in London and auction houses whose sales are timed to coincide with the festival.

The awards shortlist for Asian Art in London’s inaugural Indian and Islamic week have been announced. The Antiques Trade Gazette Award for Outstanding Indian or Islamic Work of Art from an Auction House and the Apollo Award for Outstanding Indian or Islamic Work of Art from a Dealer each have three finalists. Winners will be announced on October 29.

Essex saleroom disperses superb pipe collection amassed over more than 50 years.

Collection of hotelier, broadcaster and food writer includes many early works.

A collection of pictures and letters by Modern British artists drew solid interest at the latest Cheffins (22.5% buyer’s premium) Art & Design sale in Cambridge.

The white ‘rooks’ to this 19th century carved and turned wood chess set, offered by TW Gaze (18% buyer’s premium) in Diss in August 12, are stamped Calvert 189 Fleet Street to their bases.

An October 27-30 sale of more than 2800 lots at Reiss & Sohn of Königstein-im-Taunus includes a 1583 first of Georg Bartisch’s Opthalmodouleia…, a famous work on eye surgery that is also the first extensively illustrated account of any surgical speciality.

The Modern British art sector is now one of the most vibrant in the market and represent a good slice of business for both auction houses and dealers

Two pieces of Moorcroft Pomegranate pattern made exceptional sums within a matter of 24 hours at the end of September. Both were early versions of the popular pattern and dated 1912 – the year William Moorcroft left his studio at James Macintyre to run his own factory in Cobridge.

Estimated at £20,000- 30,000, a façon de Venise gilded, enamel led and engraved vase and cover sold for £70,000 (plus 27.5/25% buyer’s premium) last week.

The invention of the gauger’s slide rule in the 1680s is generally credited to one Thomas Everard of Southampton.

A portrait of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, catalogued as in the ‘manner of Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641)’ was offered as the opening lot of a sale held by Sarasota Estate Auction (20% buyer’s premium) in the US.

Two lots from Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) sale in Leyburn on September 4. The 17th century Korean leather and steel helmet sold to a South Korean buyer for £4800.

Thomas Del Mar (25% buyer’s premium) brightened the end of the summer season in London on July 30 with a 300–lot sale of arms and armour.