UK

Among the highlights of last week’s Islamic and Indian art sales in London was this late Safavid portrait of a mercenary in the Persian army painted in the cosmopolitan city of Isfahan c.1680-90.

Lee Young, Asian specialist and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert, has become the new owner of Frome saleroom Dore & Rees. He left his role as managing director at Duke’s last week.

The London Original Print Fair (LOPF) has modified its operations to suit the current restrictions and plans a Print Week in dealers’ galleries next month.

“I joined up as a youngster for a bit of fun, but it didn’t turn out like that. We were young men made old before our time.”

With hindsight, the boast made by the Flying Steam Company – 'To China in Twenty-Four Hours Certain' – was a tad ambitious.

A note penned in December 1963 by Mary Elizabeth Smith from The Mendips, Menlove Avenue, Liverpool, to a Miss V Stoker of 54 Pirton Road, Hitchin, sold for £1300 to a UK online bidder at Wolverhampton saleroom Cuttlestones (17.5% buyer’s premium) on March 19.

Classic Hammer Horror film posters are always popular at auction. This example below was probably the first UK quad release of The Hound of The Baskervilles (1959) starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

While the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, may not have the same ring as Hotel California, in the Sixties it was the place to check in. And even leave afterwards.

The late Michael Armstrong was such a film fanatic that when the local cinema closed in his home town in 1993 he opened his own mini replica in his garage, complete with recycled fixtures and fittings.

Talented amateur artist enjoyed riding excursions with the author to antiquarian sites

A highlight of the Omega (28% buyer’s premium inc VAT) Punk, Indie & New Wave auction on January 26 was an original listing poster for the Sex Pistols’ ill-fated 1976 Anarchy tour.

Three previously unheard tracks by the band that went on to become Radiohead surfaced thanks to a demo cassette that sold at Merseyside auction house Omega (28% buyer’s premium inc VAT).

More Mod Brit delights from the Freer collection kept in a house full to bursting point

Portraits boosted takings at Mallams’ (24% buyer’s premium) latest picture sale in Oxford.

The Affordable Art Fair has announced its live show dates this year in London, New York, Melbourne, Hong Kong and cities in Europe.

While the Museum of Power at Maldon in Essex does not yet have a firm date for reopening – to gaze at the original mighty steam-pumping machines – Steve Haddon of Haddon Events can still make use of the site.

“We are super-excited to be reopening our Flea London again on Saturday, April 17, after so long and we are planning on 27 stalls and 10 container shops here at Vinegar Yard,” enthused Christian Scrimgeour about her fleamarket held a few minutes from London Bridge Station.

They sang about a Champagne Supernova but ‘24 large cans of quality lager’ were more to their taste when Oasis stipulated their needs for band and crew at an early gig.