Auctions

Sword linked to former emperor is one of the highlights at London sale held by maritime specialist

When a c.1890 May Morris for Morris & Co embroidery came up for sale at Toomey & Co (27% buyer’s premium), the timing was less than perfect for the midwestern lady who was destined to become its new owner.

A Prussian Garde du Corps helmet that might well have once graced parade grounds and palaces took pride of place in an East Yorkshire saleroom.

An ivory netsuke described as ‘after Tomotada of Kyoto’ hammered for Can$42,000 (£22,840) against an estimate of Can$1200-1800 at Harrington’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Ontario.

This distinctive domed form of this carefully forged helmet gives a big clue to its origin.

A fine association copy of Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice was sold by Reeman Dansie (25% buyer’s premium) in Colchester on April 30.

In the early to mid-1930s, the German company Saalheimer & Strauss produced four versions of tin litho banks with an image of Mickey Mouse on them.

A George III cast bronze two-pounder sold on June 3 came from a group of 12 cast for a commission by second Viscount William Courtenay, most probably for his private yacht Dolphin in 1775. The cannon was later removed to Powderham Castle, Devon.

A rare Iznik pottery tile made for the Çini li Hamam bathhouse during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent sold for £195,000 at Lyon & Turnbull.

A hitherto unrecorded Art Deco masterwork by Armand-Albert Rateau (1882-1938) caught the eye at an Italian sale.

What is touted as the UK’s largest private collection of antique apothecary objects will be sold by the Cotswold Auction Company as part of a sale in Cirencester on June 24-25.

Doulton designs consigned by a descendant demonstrate the ceramicist’s great glaze achievement

Bibles from the Mulberry House sold well at Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet

Before hitting stratospheric heights, US grunge rockers Nirvana were playing on a European tour in late 1991 in front of crowd of 700 at one point.

In 1962, Lord John Hope, the Minister of Works in the Macmillan government commissioned David Mellor (1930-2009) to ‘supply silver you have designed to every British embassy in the world’.

A diminutive Queen Anne walnut longcase signed by Christopher Gould (c.1655-1718) made $25,000 (£18,645) against a guide of $2000-3000 at Locati (25% buyer’s premium) in Pineville, Pennsylvania.