UK

Watches with military associations carry a certain cachet with collectors.

With the unusual provenance of having been dug out of a London sewer during excavations in 1930, the 15th or early 16th century copper alloy candlestick shown here underlined the truth of the maxim that where there’s muck there’s brass.

This iron model of a hawk above is a striking example of a jizai okimono – lifelike, articulated animal figures popular in the last decades of Edo-period and Meiji Japan.

Having secured his prize for a notably higher than estimate sum, the buyer of a ‘Fireball XLV’ artwork told Malcolm Phillips of Comic Book Auctions (19% buyer’s premium) that very few artworks by its creator, Mike Noble, ever come to auction.

“The initial appeal of an object is always visual, and that is where the journey begins; research follows, and one is taken across the culture and geographical area which are both influencing forces on any work of art.”

Mithradates VI was ruler of the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus in northern Anatolia from 120-63BC and one of the Roman republic’s most formidable and determined opponents.

Although an auction house since 1918, stamps specialist Harmers is a relative newcomer to the London numismatic sales.

A group of works by painter, printmaker and war artist Edward Ardizzone (1900-79) was offered at Lawrences’ latest picture sale in Crewkerne, with eight lots coming from the artist’s family.

Advertising and antique bottle supremo Alan Blakeman of BBR Auctions discovered this massive 18½in (45cm) diameter pot lid back in the early 1980s.

Plans for a new association to protect the interests of art and antiques dealers in St James’s in central London are under way after textile dealer S Franses succeeded in winning the costs of its recent high court case.

Suffolk auction house Bishop & Miller is launching a series of designated oak furniture and works of art sales with the input of former Bonhams specialist David Houlston.

It was second time lucky for a 17th century ring made to commemorate the death of King Charles I.

Maker, movement, case decoration, provenance, rarity and original condition are the factors that combine to create value in the clock market. Here Richard Fox discusses some of the best examples recently sold at auction with the views of specialists at Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams

A mid-19th century English giant carriage chronometer timepiece proved to be highly sought after at a recent Bonhams’ Fine Clocks sale.

When this triptych came in for examination at Gloucestershire saleroom Dominic Winter, it was difficult to distinguish certain areas of the painting.