Auctions

Napoleon Bonaparte’s magnetism remains as forceful as ever in UK salerooms.

Scottish Colourist George Leslie Hunter (1877-1931) is best known for his strong and vibrant still-lifes but landscapes also feature significantly in his oeuvre – and collectors will spend big to acquire the highest-quality examples.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions.

Briefly catalogued, but accurately estimated, this bronze and ivory dancing couple was the outstanding star at Featonby’s (18.75% buyer’s premium) recent sale in North Shields.

A momentous letter of July 6, 1776, in which President of Congress John Hancock announced the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, was the most expensive lot in a printed and manuscript Americana sale on January 27.

Several surprises emerged in the tribal art sale held by Cologne auction house Lempertz (24% buyer’s premium) in a recent sale held in Brussels.

Auction prices are on the rise for the late Norfolk artist Gwyneth Johnstone (1914-2010), daughter of the artist Augustus John and niece of the Welsh painter Gwen John.

This late drawing by Karl Hofer (1878-1955), the German Expressionist painter who was branded a creator of ‘degenerate art’ by the Nazis, was one of dozens consigned by his family to Taunton saleroom Greenslade Taylor Hunt (19.5% buyer’s premium).

Early-17th century Lithuanian plan sold alongside companion Dnieper river details

The vintage contents of a railway station buffet offered in East Yorkshire were not the most upmarket pieces – nothing made more than £2000 – but more than 400 people packed the room and online bids came from India, the US and Finland. It gave veteran auctioneer Andy Spicer only his second white-glove sell-out in 35 years on the rostrum.

With tripartite appeal to football fans of England, Wales and – most importantly as it turned out – of Millwall FC, a historic shirt was a winner at Hansons’ ( 20% buyer’s premium) sporting sale.

Having been heavily criticised for its antiquated designs at the World Exhibition of 1900 in Paris, the Meissen porcelain factory commissioned avant-garde designers to produce more vibrant pieces.

Throughout the 19th century, picture clocks were popular in many German-speaking parts of Europe.

“A fabulous example of how an auctioneer can sell these collections so successfully outside of London,” said Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) managing director Jonathan Pratt in the wake of Donnington Priory’s latest auction of European furniture and works of art.

This 14in (25cm) diameter bronze bell shown here bears the insignia of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (the Dutch East India Company or VOC), the date 1747 and the name Jaffanapatnam. It is suspended in a wrought iron frame and mounted to a large stone mill wheel.

Marius Borgeaud (1861-1924) was one of several Swiss painters working in Paris around the turn of the 20th century.

Just under 600 lots in the extensive March 16-20 auction at Künker in Osnabrück come from the Samel collection. This highly important collection was put together by Josef Samel and his sister Angela Arluk, who were born in Poland, but settled in Munich after the war.

David Lay’s (18% buyer's premium) second stand-alone Asian art sale held in Penzance was topped at £65,500 (estimate £3000-5000) by this shodana made in Meiji period Japan, c.1890.

Raphael’s painting 'Madonna della sedia' is one of the most familiar images of Western art and has been copied by artists since its inception in 1513.

A silver medal on offer at Gorny & Mosch in Munich on March 9-10 commemorates the last pitched battle fought on the British mainland.