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The Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund was formed at a meeting of merchants and underwriters at the Lloyd’s Coffee House in London in July 1803, to reward those who had displayed significant valour in the defence of Britain. The funds came via public subscription.

Punchy prices result as demand for relics linked to the British naval hero remains evidently high

A pair of pistols that were presented by Napoleon just six weeks after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo hammered at £30,000 in Thomas Del Mar’s sale of Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria held at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

Portraits of artists by themselves in a variety of mediums have long been a characterful feature of the market

Freya Mitton, Harry Moore-Gwyn and Guy Peppiatt have combined their considerable forces for another year, to create their second combined Winter catalogue of British Drawings and Watercolours.

A copy of the earliest map dedicated to North America appeared at Bonhams New York (28/27/21/14.5% buyer’s premium) on October 14, hammering down at $38,000 (£28,400) against a $20,000- 30,000 estimate.

First edition of Defoe’s final novel fought over by online bidders up to a hammer price of £16,000

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

On Friday, December 20, Michael Bloomstein of Brighton was paying the following for bulk scrap against a gold fix of: $2602.56 / €2517.20 / £2082.05

Mee-Seen Loong is director of INKstudio and Ink Institute, and ex-vice chairman of Sotheby’s. INKStudio will be taking part in Asia Week New York (from March 13-21).