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Our look ahead at fairs coming up in the capital, including the Firsts and PBFA events held a short hop apart on the same weekend

Stand-out lots from Shakespeare to Sendak, Marie-Antoinette to Mary Queen of Scots, Gill to Waugh and Turing to Buffalo Bill

Inscriptions and annotations can make a massive difference to value

Etc Fairs has announced the new London location for the three autumn book events which have been changed venues due to renovation work at the Holiday Inn in Bloomsbury, their regular spot.

A recent survey reveals a drop in dealers’ sales combined with a sharp rise in costs

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

Among the works on paper attracting interest at the early spring auctions was a 19th century study that emerged at a sale in Dumfries.

International Antiques and Collectors’ Fairs (IACF) has announced that its biannual Celebration of Antiques held at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre (NAEC) Stoneleigh will not be returning to the venue following its event at Easter.

Noonans’ Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria sale on April 9 included a rare group of medals awarded to Lancaster Bomber pilot, Warrant Officer, later Flight Lieutenant, Edward Sydney Ellis of 625 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Hong Kong auctioneer CC Wang conducted Sotheby’s ‘longest ever bidding battle’ on April 10 when a calligraphy handscroll by a Yuan dynasty master took over 200 bids and 97 minutes to sell.

This Wedgwood creamware tea or punch pot commemorating the launch of a gun ship at Deptford in 1784 was among 29 lots from the collection of The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights sold by specialist Charles Miller.

Among the attractions at this year’s Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair on May 15-18 is the desk upon which Hilary Mantel wrote her celebrated Wolf Hall trilogy.

The J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has bought a 16th-century painting by Spanish Renaissance painter Luis de Morales (1509-86). It was acquired in a private sale from London dealer Daniel Katz Gallery for an undisclosed price.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including items from the personal collection of David Battie heading to Sworders this month