Features

Spirit of Ecstasy has adorned the bonnet of every Rolls-Royce motor car since February 6, 1911.

The sale of Japanese works of art at Woolley & Wallis on the morning of May 17 is led by this 8in (20cm) high silvered bronze okimono of a cockatoo.

Led by Asian art specialist Lee Young, Dore & Rees will conduct a sale of Fine Asian Art in Frome on May 16.

The You Can Be Sure Of Shell adverts are some of the most familiar and renowned examples in British graphic design.

‘Significant damage and rust’ was spot on as a catalogue description when it came to an enamel sign sold at Cotswold Auction Company (22% buyer’s premium) on February 8. It was a mess.

This 19th century Tibetan conch shell ritual trumpet, known as a dung-dkar, forms part of the Tony Bingham collection of musical instruments.

The Asian art sale at Duke’s of Dorchester, scheduled for May, has been moved back to June 15 to incorporate a significant late consignment.

Top price among a selection of car mascots offered in Newcastle came for a design in honour of the French aviator George Guynemer.

The sale of Important Chinese Art at Sotheby’s on May 11 includes this monumental Kangxi famille noire vase estimated at £220,000-280,000.

French illustrator Robert Falcucci (1900-89) was famous for his graphic works of the Art Deco era – particularly the Monaco Grand Prix posters.

Ewbank’s (24% buyer’s premium) held a dedicated Cars, Motorbikes, Scooters & Automobilia auction on December 2 in Send, Woking.

Lyon & Turnbull’s Fine Asian & Islamic Works of Art auction includes this Longquan yuhuchun vase with carved decoration from the early Ming period.

Chiswick Auctions holds three sales on May 16-17: Asian Art Part I and Part II and a catalogue titled The Chinese Art of Monochrome.

This London Transport poster for the Motor Show that took place from October 17-26, 1935, in Olympia, west London, was designed by Heather Perry – known as Herry Perry (1897-1962). It was printed by The Dangerfield Printing Co, London.

Described by Bonhams (15% buyer’s premium) as “the ultimate in rally equipment from the 1960s”, a pair of stopwatches mounted on an original Heuer plate intended to be attached to the dashboard of a racing or rally car received a suitably enthusiastic response.

Globalisation, the phenomenon that first created a Western market for Asian art in the 17th century, is once more changing the way that Chinese works of art, in particular, are being sold.

European subject matter adorns this rare 18th century painted enamel ‘Jesuit’ bowl.

Lyon & Turnbull notes that while mascots made no functional contribution to a car, they “certainly added style, and generally have fared better over time than the cars to which they were mounted”.

This 2ft (60cm) tianqiuping or ‘heavenly globe vase’ is seemingly the only one known with this decoration.

McTear’s in Glasgow conducts an Asian Art sale on June 10 where a set of 11 Satsuma plates is guided at £1000-2000.