Auctions

Forget the high street or ‘not-on-the-high street’ – for those looking for an original gift, a carefully chosen antique will never disappoint. Many upcoming UK auctions of silver and jewellery are assembled with the season of gift-giving in mind. Here ATG provides a selection of ‘more affordable’ and portable items, all for sale this month

The distinctive Antipodean ‘botanical’ jewellery of the gold rush era is among the first to depict the native flora and fauna. It is of huge cultural significance to Australia and its mining heritage.

This curious object is the forerunner of a million Christmas cracker prizes. Made in gold and silver, c.1830, the ‘ring’ chased with flowers includes a tiny pin hole which allows a jet of water to be squirted into the face of an unsuspecting admirer via a syringe-like plunger that can be concealed in the palm.

Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales including a Daniel Sherrin landscape.

Three of the lots noted here from a Chicago sale of books, manuscripts, pictures and prints sold at record sums – and the fourth brought a price that has only once been bettered.

A selection of 16 upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK and Ireland.

Auction houses Bonhams and Phillips have both increased their buyer's premium.

Roma Numismatics set a new record for a classical coin when a Brutus Eid Mar-type gold aureus, struck shortly after the murder of Julius Caesar, took £2.7m in London.

An item of local interest to bidders at Bamfords in Derby was this 18th century account book for Radbourne Hall, the seat of the Chandos-Pole family.

The record for a British coin sold at auction has been broken twice at a sale in Monte Carlo.

Lots of souvenirs were produced referencing the Battle of Culloden on April 16, 1746 – the final confrontation of the Jacobite rising of 1745 and the last pitched battle fought on British soil.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions.

Strong bidding emerged at Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest Modern & Contemporary Art auction as a work by Irish artist John Shinnors (b.1950) caught the eye of no fewer than eight trade and private buyers.

Before he turned to painting cans of soup and Brillo boxes, Andy Warhol had to make a living by more conventional means.

Wifredo Lam’s untitled piscine painting from 1974 will be offered in the Modern Art auction to be held by Tajan in its Paris rooms on November 24.

Not too many artists appearing at regional auctions have over two million followers on Instagram but, then again, not too many are like Mr Doodle (b.1994).