UK

While wine served by Richard and Sheila Miller was generally drunk from Georgian glasses, it could come to the table via these later talking points.

Kashmir sapphires have acquired a near-legendary status, due to their lustrous cornflower colour, soft velvety texture and extreme rarity.

The collection of about 800 engraved gems formed by the nobleman and politician George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817), was the largest and most important of the age.

The stopwatch used by English referee Jack Taylor in the 1974 World Cup final sold for a within-estimate £3300 at Fellows (23/15% buyer’s premium) in Birmingham.

After 10 years based at London’s Old Spitalfields Market, Phil Taylor Cool Stuff is moving west to the antiques hub of Lillie Road in Fulham.

Halls’ (23% buyer’s premium) Summer auction in Shrewsbury on June 16 included a private collection of nine pieces of Boucheron jewellery.

A new record for the Pilkington’s Lancastrian factory was set by Moreton-in-Marsh firm Kinghams.

A group of Ethiopian works of art believed to have been taken during the Battle of Maqdala in 1868 has been withdrawn from a Dorset auction after the Embassy of Ethiopia intervened.

Auction Technology Group (ATG), owner of Antiques Trade Gazette and online marketplaces including thesaleroom.com, has announced the proposed acquisition of LiveAuctioneers, a major art and antiques auction marketplace in North America.

Over the weekend of June 25-27, Lincolnshire dealer Hansord had planned to be in west London exhibiting at 'The Art and Antiques Fair Olympia'.

Mayfair Art Weekend (MAW) is back for an eighth annual event with a busy programme of exhibitions and talks planned.

Included in the Cheffins Fine Sale in Cambridge on June 30-July 1 are more than 50 lots of furniture, antiques, ceramics and collectors’ items from the famous Hertfordshire estate, Julians Park.

A highlight from the Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art sale at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury on July 27 is this set of four porcelain plaques by the celebrated Republic period artist Wang Qi (1884-1937).

The Welsh sale at Rogers Jones in Cardiff on July 24 includes this rare Ewenny pottery slipware wassail bowl and cover, estimated at £3000-5000.