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The Scottish government has updated its guidance on face coverings.

Matthias Buchinger (1674-1740), the so-called ‘Little Man of Nuremberg’, was just 2ft 5in (74cm) tall. Born in Ansbach without legs and having truncated arms without fingers, he nonetheless excelled at many occupations associated with physical dexterity.

Some aspects of the traditional antiques market continue to perform with zest – and ‘folk art’ is among them.

Two traditional drinking vessels brought surprising toasts to European craftsmen at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (23% buyer’s premium) in Exeter.

Thirteen-year old Miles Raymond from Tunbridge Wells started collecting after he found an old bottle in his grandparents’ garden. He would like be a dealer in the future, but his career path also leans towards design and engineering – with his interest in antiques a useful influence.

Japonisme, the craze for Japanese art first described by the French critic and collector Philippe Burty in 1872, became a key part of Tiffany & Co’s jewellery oeuvre from c.1877.

Peter Last is an antique picture frame dealer in Bristol. He previously ran the frame department at Bonhams in the late 1990s.

Circumstances are quickly changing the way items are bought and sold at auction – but the first principles of quality, keen pricing and provenance still apply.

This brooch – an agate cameo in a diamond and enamel surround – has French assay marks for the Berlin-born, Paris-based historicist jeweller Jules Wièse (1818-90).

Most antique shops, centres and galleries, closed between March and June, are now open once more and are eager to make up for lost business. Pictured here is a selection of fine pieces of period jewellery for sale today.

In the latest in ATG's occasional series of collector interviews, researcher, archivist, gemmologist, specialist and collector Georgina Izzard describes her fascination

Alongside an extensive range of more conventional auction catalogue shots, Fellows has (since July 2019) been picturing every one of its fine jewellery lots being worn.

The highlight of Bonhams Australia’s (27.5/25% buyer’s premium) latest Jewels sale was this agate intaglio seal from the collection of Brisbane Catholic priest Father Peter Grice (1943-2019).

One of the highlights of Leonard Joel’s jewellery auction in Sydney on August 26 is this Art Deco platinum and diamond bracelet dated to c.1930 fashioned as an articulated line of geometric links of carré, baguette and circular cut diamonds weighing a total of approximately 33cts.

This Royal Navy Reserve officer’s sword owned by Robert Erskine Childers was estimated at €3000-5000 in a recent auction by Mullen’s (20/12.5% buyer’s premium) in Bray, Co Dublin. The scabbard throat of the Victorian 1827-pattern sword is engraved 'RE Childers'.

A number of higher-priced lots featured in a sale held by Hindman (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) of Chicago this summer, where fine binding was very much in evidence on both individual volumes and sets.

A format increasingly popular with dealers can help ‘enhance the understanding of objects’

“We opened at the earliest opportunity two months ago and were immediately ridiculously busy,” said David Skeet, general manager of the Brighton and Lewes fleamarkets.

MADAM – I normally confine myself to commenting on Napoleon-related subjects. However, your piece on the Isle of Wight pop festival in 1970 (Dealers’ Diary, ATG No 2454) took me back to being a 15-year-old boy with hair on his shoulders living on the island during that extraordinary event.

This 19th century gold diamond, pearl and blue enamel locket and necklace, sold by Reeman Dansie (20% buyer’s premium) in Colchester on August 11 for £2800, came with a little Hollywood stardust.