Print Edition

Antiquarian and out-of-print book and ephemera collectors will be in heaven on the weekend of December 1-2 with two fairs at the Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury in Coram Street.

The Hundred Days Offensive broke the back of German resistance in 1918 and by November the Allies were surging well beyond the once static Western Front.

Strong bidding for the best Republic period porcelain has become a familiar sight at Asian art sales. Less often observed is the newer enthusiasm for artist-decorated wares from the early years of the People’s Republic.

Proof once more of the allure of market-fresh goods, the collection of Roger Soame Jenyns (1904-76) excelled at Christie’s Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale.

From c.1969-75, Charles de Temple (b.1929) – the son of the American film actor Tom Mix – created his series of ‘nervous jewels’, employing prickly cultural designs in two-coloured gold wire. This 18ct gold and beryl dress ring is a good example.

The exact history of this 200-year-old saltwater pearl is unknown but it is undoubtedly a gem of considerable merit.

Tiffany exhibited only gold jewellery at the 1878 Paris exposition, including a collection of ‘Japanesque’ pieces.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

When buying online from dealers, it makes sense to look out for expertise and top-quality objects. But where do you find them?

This 18ct two-colour gold and enamel Hebe brooch to a design by Georges Braque, c.1962, carries an estimate of $2500-3500 at Leslie Hindman’s Important Jewelry sale in Chicago on December 3.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

A marine scene by Alfred Priest (1810-50) is among the highlights at English and Continental Antiques’ final exhibition of the year.

Anteo Subastas in San Sebastian, Spain, is offering an example of a Mexican colonial silver devotional altarpiece in its next auction on November 28.

It’s party time at Savitri Coleman’s Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair in the Freemason’s Hall, Great Queen Street, on Sunday November 25.

Our picture below from a past event shows that Art Deco is quite often a speciality at Polly and Peter Trapmore-Shaw’s antiques and collectors fairs held in the Lincolnshire town of Spalding.

Art dealers and auction house specialists have been removed from all TEFAF vetting panels to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

In the end, it was diamonds, not cake, that triggered the tragic downfall of Marie-Antoinette (1755-93) and her family. Even though the doomed queen was innocent of conspiracy, it was the affair of a diamond necklace that lit the powder-keg of revolution.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.