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‘By the power of Grayskull!’ was the cry in the Masters of the Universe TV cartoon series in the 1980s. Four decades on, that power has taken toy prices to an astonishing new high.

A lot offering five WH Smith enamel advertising signs, c.1930, took the top price as memorabilia from one of the UK’s most enduring and recognisable retail brands came to auction.

Art dealer Karen Taylor has sold two oil sketches by Gainsborough Dupont (1754-97) to the British Museum.

The final auction at Pullman House in Saltney, Chester, home of Byrnes since 2003, will be the remarkable collection of 20th century design formed by Philip Clarkson on September 15-16.

Owner of Apollo Art auction house launches antiquities specialist firm in London’s Marylebone

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including a new recruit at Woolley & Wallis.

A new gallery opens this month at the Holburne Museum in Bath to display “world-class Renaissance treasures” on long-term loan from the Schroder family collection.

A “very fine” bronze helmet of Corinthian type, c.350BC, hammered from a single sheet, with a domed crown, almond-shaped eye cutouts and a prominent nose guard, sold for £32,000 at Apollo Art Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in London on July 27.

Jacobite highlights from the Scottish Collected sale held by Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh

Peter Green’s lyrics for 'Man Of The World' sell at regional auction house

Your Letters pages have recently featured the elaboration of two items purchased from the “contents of a Sussex manor house” auctioned by Burstow & Hewett of Battle, East Sussex, on May 28-29: a Tudor oak stool and a coquilla nut snuffbox depicting Benjamin Franklin (see Auction Reports, ATG No 2702 and Letters, No 2704 & 2706).

Second World War airborne memorabilia is another in-demand section of the militaria market.

Halls’ (24% buyer’s premium) latest Militaria, Naval and Aviation Auction in Shrewsbury offered a tempting selection of lots such as First World War uniforms in decent condition.