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Our selection of lots from 12 upcoming auctions

Among the portraits bringing demand at the latest series of Old Master auctions in London was a pair of works depicting young women by Johann Zoffany (1733-1810).

Market for imperial Russian works of art appears to have shifted to US given global circumstances

Collector’s complete set of books from Morris’ publishing project comes to a saleroom for first time in 50 years

Private British buyers dominated proceedings as the Teddy Bears of Witney went under the hammer at Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium) in Newbury.

The first two great collections of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories were gathered from their original appearances in Strand Magazine by its proprietor George Newnes (Southampton Street and Exeter Street, Strand, London) and issued in book form.

The core of the December 10 Out of Europe sale at the Cardiff rooms of Rogers Jones (22% buyer’s premium) was formed by the collection of Miss Annie Elizabeth Tookey.

Consignments have been thin on the ground but various lots attracted significant sums at the recent London series

Alabaster fragments from old Alexandria, a small box of gold from Australia, dried seaweed from the Gulf of Florida and Oceanic tribal artefacts.

These days it’s not unusual to see works that are not technically Old Masters appearing in Old Master auctions.

Our regular listing of books and works on paper sales

The highlight of an extensive selection of Barbie dolls offered at Wessex Auction Rooms (19% buyer’s premium) proved to be, as predicted, an example of the very earliest produced.

Peter Arnold’s (20% buyer’s premium) auction of the first part of the Alexander Collection held in Melbourne, Australia, achieved a selling rate of 80% with 15 lots sold in the following days, all at the reserves, to several buyers.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including build up to the Winter Show in New York