Auctions

Among the items that viewers of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow will see valued on this weekend’s programme are the original blueprints for the bouncing bomb depicted in the film ‘The Dam Busters’.

Bonham’s annual sale devoted to Aston Martin features old and new models of the classic British car – including some James Bond favourites – as well as a wide array of automobilia.

John Lennon’s personal and signed ‘Butcher’ cover Yesterday and Today album prototype from 1966 sold for a record-breaking £180,000 ($234,400), including premium, in an auction held in Liverpool.

ATG’s selection of hammer highlights over the past week includes a gold paper fan signed for a Ming dynasty calligrapher that took a multi-estimate €28,000.

An auction that coincided with the 40th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s historic election as the UK’s first female prime minister, raised a premium-inclusive £1.08m at Christie’s.

Writers’ association English PEN has launched a campaign to raise the £56,250 needed to buy the judge's copy of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' that has been barred from export.

People of a certain age will be filled with nostalgia when they see this teddy bear coming to auction at C&T in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

A painting from Claude Monet’s (1840-1926) ‘haystacks’ series set the highest price at auction for an Impressionist picture at Sotheby’s New York last night.

A group of 15 works on paper by Salvador Dalí (1904-89) which were produced as Christmas card designs will be offered in Paris this summer. They are estimated to raise up to €1m at Artcurial’s Modern and Impressionist Art auction.

A fervent bidding battle was witnessed in London earlier today as a Chinese throne sold for five times estimate at Christie’s.

Harold Wilson (1916-95) was Britain’s prime minister twice and won four out of five general elections, more than any other post-war British leader of any party.

The world’s oldest existing golf scorecard survived adverse weather conditions and a dissatisfied player before going under the hammer at Bonhams earlier this month.

The upcoming Decorative Arts sale to be held by Tajan in Paris includes a number of pieces by one of the master craftsmen of the Art Nouveau movement – Louis Majorelle.

With estimates from £100-$1m, here are five previews from upcoming sales this week.

Halls' sale on May 15 in Shrewsbury, combining Asian objects with a country house sale, has ceramics, textiles and paintings at a range of prices to tempt new collectors. ATG picked five items for closer inspection.

A weekend of watching the British Masters might inspire a spate of related buying, but golf memorabilia is a perennial favourite for some collectors.