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January proves to be a busy month in France including 37 sales at the Drouot in a fortnight

Among the highlights of the year at Spink was a group of 17 medals awarded to Air Vice-Marshal Sir Matthew Brown ‘Bunty’ Frew (1895-1974).

After striking a few coins in both gold and silver which were still closely related to Byzantine and Sasanian prototypes, ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from 685-705AD (65-86H), made a clean break with the pre-Islamic past and introduced a completely new gold coinage in 77H.

MADAM – It has been a rough sea for BADA of late and I sincerely hope that BADA will not become ‘The Flying Dutchman’ of the Art and Antique world: endlessly at sea, talking to itself with neither destination nor home port.

A round-up of news from the previous seven days, including IACF postponing its Runway Monday event at Newark and the next Ardingly Antiques Market.

Starting his collection with a 1568 sixpence purchased in Swanage in 1957, marine insurance broker Christopher Comber (1944-2019) formed a remarkable collection of Elizabeth I coins.

Shapero Rare Books has launched a new Islamic department, broadening its collections of books from the Arabic, Ottoman, Persian and Indian worlds.

MADAM – Christopher Howe’s reminiscences and observations (‘Auction Giants Sotheby’s and Christie’s have turned this multicolour business into beige’, Letters, ATG No 2478) bring back happy memories.

MADAM – Having been dealing with European auction houses and art dealers for over 50 years, including the period before the introduction of ARR (Artist’s Resale Right), it is tragic to discover the only excuse that the negotiators can present for the continuation of this imposition is a ‘level playing field’ (News, ATG No 2476).

The Medals, Orders and Decorations sale at Morton & Eden in November featured two Victoria Crosses awarded during the Indian Mutiny. They sold to the same buyer for a combined hammer price of £300,000.

This silver penny struck for Ludeca, a short-lived king of Mercia who ruled from 826-7, was found at Combe Bissett, Wiltshire, in 2016.

Colchester auction house Reeman Dansie follows a policy of detailed cataloguing for Chinese art but modest estimates

Typical Charles Cooper Henderson coach scene rolls into Cheffins' saleroom

This canine portrait 'Minnay' by Edouard Manet (1832-83) will be offered for sale by Drouot Estimations on February 26.

MADAM – There is some hope for a replacement to the regrettable but understandable Covid-related closure of the Christie’s archives highlighted by the trade associations and the letter (ATG No 2476) from Mike Sanderson.

A recent Reeman Dansie sale in Colchester included 80 pieces from the estate of the well-known dealer Jane Sumner, who died last September at the age of 82.

A very early coloured litho view of Melbourne formed part of an Australiana sale held by dealer and auctioneer Peter Arnold (18% buyer’s premium).

This hitherto unrecorded work by the Jewish painter Morris Goldstein (1892-1965) is offered by the Nonesuch Gallery, priced at £5000.

MADAM - Re ‘Magna Carta Shines in Silver’, Auction Reports, ATG No 2476.

MADAM – It will come as no surprise that I, for one, wholeheartedly support the proposal from Kaye Michie (see Letters & Opinion, ATG No 2479) that the two antiques dealer associations, BADA and LAPADA, should be merged.