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A handsome group of eight volumes commemorating the Great Exhibition of 1851 sold in Exeter had been presented to one of its commissioners, England’s serial Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone.

Artcurial will offer a painting by the French artist Jean Siméon Chardin (1699-1779), 'Le panier de fraises des bois' (The Basket of Wild Strawberries), at its auction of Old Master and 19th century paintings in Paris on March 23.

A versatile painter in a variety of mediums, Anna Airy (1882- 1964) was considered by some to be among the most gifted artists of her day.

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

An English all-wooden doll originally presented by Queen Charlotte to her goddaughter sold for $200,000 (£148,000) at a US auction.

Mallams is selling a collection of around 30 watercolours by the British natural history illustrator and painter, Sarah Stone (c.1760-1844).

Described as being a little fragile but otherwise good, this Victorian transformation game was drawn on both sides of a single sheet of cut and folded paper.

A rare, early 20th century Fischer tin clown tricycle wind-up toy sold for a premium-inclusive $2300 (£1725) despite not being in working condition.

Not just Harry Potter but also Tolkien and CS Lewis works generate serious demand in US

A rare Royal Crown Derby teapot made to a design created by Salvador Dalí surfaced recently at Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) in Stamford.

Couple of friends amassed extensive collections that led to a book and a major exhibition

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

A new American firm, LCG (Legacy Collectibles Group) Auctions, sold what it described as “the highest graded Cobra Commander GI Joe action figure in existence” in a timed sale last year.

Pedal cars are regular visitors to salerooms but rarer powered versions were also produced for children to use, partly for road safety training

Before the crash of the R101 during its maiden voyage to France in October 1930, there had been great excitement around the potential of the airship.

At the top end of the budget for ski poster enthusiasts are the Art Deco images promoting Gstaad.

On the night of May 21, 1985, a postpunk art collective staged an anti-establishment protest on the galleries of Mayfair’s Cork Street.

Certain areas became hubs for the manufacture of toys, such as Nuremberg and Erzgebirge in Germany.

These days, marketing a doll as Sindy’s saucy sister would be problematic. And the less said about outfits titled Hockey Honey or School Days, the better.

This gouache by Fernand Léger (1881-1955), Les Loisirs, will be one of the highlights of the next sale at Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, New York, on February 6.