Auctions

Set of Euripides plays was once owned by Sir Robert Peel sold at Forum sale which also includes two first English editions of works by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Jeffrey S Evans’ spring sale of 18th and 19th century glassware and lighting takes place in Mount Crawford, Virginia. It includes a collection of more than 100 18th and 19th century English drinking glasses, to be offered unreserved on May 20.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from May 5-16, 2020. All sales are now held online due to the coronavirus alert.

From Ewenny to Llanelly, Nantgarw and Swansea, ceramics produced in the region over many years is a strong feature of this market.

Schmidt’s Antiques’ next ceramics auction in Ypsilanti, Michigan, will be on June 6 and features a wide range of English and Continental pottery and porcelain from Britain, Continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

By tradition, Count Heinrich von Brühl (1700-63), chief minister and favourite to Augustus III, was a man famed for his fashion sense. His tailor was thus an important part of his entourage.

One of the side-effects for the art market of being in a lockdown is that people have more time to discover works that they might have otherwise missed or overlooked.

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period April 23-29,2020. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

Ceramics, both English and Continental from the 18th century through to modern pieces, were one of several elements featured in the most recent Style auction held by Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) in New York.

A Purdey & Sons double-barrel hammer rifle built in 1875 for the Prince of Wales’ Indian tour of 1875-76 sold for £8000 at the Gavin Gardiner (25% buyer’s premium) live online auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on April 22.

The investiture of the Prince of Wales in July 1969 was a pageant for the television age: held at Caernarfon Castle on a circular dais beneath a transparent Perspex canopy.

Estimated at just £1000-1500, this late-17th century walnut eight-day longcase clock sold via thesaleroom.com for £11,000 at Elstob & Elstob (22% buyer’s premium) in Ripon.

Staffordshire blue and white ware, figures and Leeds creamware will be among a selection of English ceramics featured in Maison Jules’ large mixed-discipline auction of art, antiques and vintage items to be held online over three days from May 16-18 in Gent, Belgium.

Norfolk auction house sells 11 guns with provenance to one of the most renowned enthusiasts

Gambling memorabilia and playing cards provided the twin attractions of a sale held by Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) of Chicago, where the day’s top lot proved to be a famous book with a local imprint.

Works by the prolific John Bellany (1942-2013) appear regularly at auction, with small drawings often available for hundreds of pounds, but the larger and vigorously coloured figurative oils generally make many thousands.

The auction calendar has been much changed by Covid 19 restrictions. However, as indicated by these lots offered for sale in May, some UK auctioneers continue to transact behind closed doors holding ‘live online’ sales with bids taken via bidding platforms such as thesaleroom.com or over the phone. Typically purchases can either be collected safely and couriered, or stored by the auctioneers until the current government guidance is lifted.