Print Edition

Uncut and partially unopened, a truly exceptional presentation copy of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species… sold for a record $400,000 (£316,353) in a recent US sale.

MADAM – In last week’s edition (‘Trading Places’ ATG No 2397), you include a short piece about the London Silver Vaults. It is only a small point, but the article states that the Chancery Lane Safe Deposit opened in 1876.

Locks of Beethoven’s hair are known to have been taken from the composer on his deathbed in 1827, but an earlier and substantial sample featured in a recent London sale. Sold for £28,000 at Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) against an estimate of £12,000-15,000, it is certainly a well-documented souvenir.

With an infamous lack of a ‘signature’ look, Northern Irish painter Colin Middleton (1910-83) is something of an art historical chameleon.

The principle of insurance is to put you back into the position that you were in before the loss occurred. This can be challenging when navigating the art market, writes Dr Abigail Price.

We have recently acted for a number of clients who either have had the misfortune of having to call on their insurance when a piece of artwork has been damaged or where we have been instructed by insurers to bring a swift resolution to a spurious claim, writes Rudy Capildeo.

The Midcentury Modern Show’s pop-up event at the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield on Saturday and Sunday, June 29-30, will feature 32 dealers in Midcentury items.

A poet and dramatist, Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was once considered by many to be the true author of Shakespeare’s plays.

Organiser says expectations are high for new showground fair starting at end of the month.

A sale with multinational appeal – and a baroque revival cabinet spared from Rentokil.

Italy – or more specifically Sicily – came up trumps for Stamford auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) in the form of this 4½in (11cm) carved coral and copper-gilt urn and cover.

Other than davenports, few pieces of functional antique furniture fell farther down the price ladder during the slump than sofa tables but the examples here bucked the fashion at Moore Allen & Innocent (20% buyer’s premium) of Cirencester.

The fitted interior of this William & Mary casket, below, was later but its fine brass-bound marquetry exterior with hidden lock mechanism made it the most eye-catching lot at Mallams’ (22.5% buyer’s premium) auction in Cheltenham on June 6.

Pictured here is the front page of the scarce second issue of Dandy, published in January 1937, along with an even rarer example of the jumping frog toy that was given away with the comic as a promotion.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

A ‘colossal and extraordinary grotesque grinning crab’ by the Martin Brothers that sold at auction last year has been temporarily barred from export from the UK.

Irish art market makes a sedate journey back to strength as local buyers dominate.

ATG asked practitioners to explain the ins and outs of this increasingly popular auction format.

Ceramics commemorating the coronation of Edward VIII are less rare than often supposed, having been produced in abundance before the coronation was aborted. Most bring relatively small sums.