Art Market

Local scenes by the incredibly prolific artist from the Channel Islands are favourites in today’s market

A curious unsigned oil on linen soared past its $800- 1200 guide to achieve $7000 (£5400) at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) in Maine.

Thirty-eight lots offered in Bath included a strong array of 20th century works assembled in London

Among the watercolours attracting interest at the earlier part of the year were four works by Lucy Elizabeth Kemp-Welch (1869-1958) that appeared at Lincoln saleroom Golding Young & Mawer (24% buyer’s premium).

Works painted by the man behind famous comic characters are sold at auction alongside those he acquired

As well as eight books and manuscripts by Aubrey Beardsley (1872-98) at Christie’s sale of the Barry Humphries collection – plus one photo of the illustrator and author too – the auction included a rare self-portrait.

De’ Conti and Tintoretto works shine as part of the Old Master sales in New York

A series of British portraits offered across two different Dreweatts (26/25% buyer’s premium) sales got the new year off to a good start at the Newbury saleroom.

Paintings depicting humble carpenter and not-so-humble locksmith benefit from market freshness

A stylised still-life by Robert Colquhoun (1914-62) was one of a number of good quality Scottish pictures generating interest at a recent sale at Taylors Auctions (26% buyer’s premium) in Montrose, Angus.

A deceased estate in Dorset that yielded a notable collection of Old Masters provided a fillip to Lawrences (25% buyer’s premium) of Crewkerne’s latest mixed-category auction.

Collection of banker and financier with a bohemian streak included an eclectic mix of pictures

In terms of Modern British pictures sold around the country over the last year, a number of highlights came late in the day.

Among the portraits bringing demand at the latest series of Old Master auctions in London was a pair of works depicting young women by Johann Zoffany (1733-1810).

Consignments have been thin on the ground but various lots attracted significant sums at the recent London series

These days it’s not unusual to see works that are not technically Old Masters appearing in Old Master auctions.