Auctions

A pair of imperially inscribed Qianlong (1735-96) mark and period famille rose wall vases set a house record for Asian art at Roseberys.

The ‘high season’ of summer auctions in London held by Sotheby’s and Christie’s generated £205.8m including premium last week.

The recent Mallams (22.5% buyer’s premium) live online sale of Chinese, Japanese and Islamic art in Cheltenham included Chinese works on paper and textiles from a relative of Katherine Talati (1922-2015).

Two works by Fred Stead (1863-1940) drew strong interest at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) in West Sussex thanks, in part, to here-to-be-sold estimates. They were being consigned from a deceased estate.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from August 4-20, 2020.

Among the European toys included in the August 13 Basics sale to be held by Bertoia auctions of Vineland, New Jersey will be this boxed saloon car made by the British firm Chad Valley.

Two 19th century ‘prestige’ knives from southern Africa attracted unexpected levels of bidding at Grand Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Folkestone. Estimated at just £40-80 each, they made a combined £9200.

The artist John Hurford was a key figure in the British psychedelia movement of the late 1960s.

Only around five examples of this rare ‘Big Beat’ concert poster are thought to exist. It advertises a 1958 tour by Rock and Roll promoter Alan Freed, whose photo appears at the top above the 16 different 1950s top musical acts (all also pictured).

This 12¾in (32cm) tall European carved bone powder flask dated to the 17th century will feature in the first day of Morphy Auctions’ August 18-19 sale of edged weapons, armour and militaria in Denver, Pennsylvania.

Four pictures in Colchester sale provide a good case study in the factors affecting John Constable attributions and buyer confidence

On September 12 Ripley Auctions in Indianapolis is selling a single-owner collection of costume jewellery and accessories from the American design firm Eisenberg that has been formed by the antiques dealer and collector Sharon Schwartz.

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period July 16-29,2020. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

Christie’s New York (25/20/13.5% buyer’s premium) recently staged two important book sales online that between them raised almost $3.38m, including premiums.

It was during the so-called Transitional period, the era of protracted civil war that marked the transition from Ming to Qing, that the centuries-old system of court-sponsored porcelain manufacture at Jingdezhen collapsed.

The response among Sixties regulars at a north London pub to the fly poster, below, advertising a gig by the High Numbers may well have been: The who?

John Vernon ‘Jack’ Webb (1923-2019) was destined to be a collector of medals and militaria. On June 5, 1944, he was on a troop ship preparing to take part in the D-Day landings.

August is typically a fallow month for art and antiques – a time when holidays are taken in the wake of a busy June and July. However, given the exceptional circumstances, 2020 will be a little different.