Essex

Sending the old year out with a bang, a George III brass mortar by Jan Verbruggen took £49,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at Sworders.

A recently rediscovered version of one of the best-known Guild of Handicraft designs is up for sale at Sworders.

A Chinese ‘dragon’ box fashioned in the prized Asian wood zitan sold for £110,000 at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) on November 3.

Pictured here are the plates from a 12th or 13th century klivanion (Byzantine armour).

More items from the collection of Sir Rod Stewart are coming up for sale at Sworders this year.

A rare ceramic cat given by David Hockney (b.1937) to strangers who helped him as a student fetched a record price for one of the artist’s sculptural felines when it sold at Stacey’s in Chelmsford.

This pair of kesi chair covers woven with front-facing dragons against an apricot ground, date from the late Ming or early Qing dynasty period.

The art of the Samurai comes to Essex firm Sworders on November 2.

Dutch artist used a technique that was much admired in his homeland as well as Britain

Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) timed online sale that closed on August 13 included this rare enamel by Ernestine Evans Mills (1871-1959).

Inspired by Carlo Scarpa’s use of murrine glass in the 1930s and 1940s, Paolo Venini (1895-1959) designed a number of vessels in the 1950s that have become classics of post-war Italian design.

Among the lots on offer at Sworders’ upcoming Old Master, British and European Art sale is a small sketch of two lawyers by Honoré Daumier (1808-79).

The north European Mannerist bronze sold for £550,000 against a guide of £250-350 was not the only spectacular sleeper in the August 8 sale at Reeman Dansie (22.5% buyer’s premium).

Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) June 13-14 Fine Interiors sale included a collection of Norwich 17th century silver assembled by one of East Anglia’s best-known families.

Refugee artist provided first-hand experience of cutting edge style

The Qing hexagonal form blue and white jardinière shown here is a type used to grow flowers or bonsai at the Qing court.

Among a number of works at the latest Old Master, British and European Art sale at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) sparking keen interest were a couple of contrasting paintings selling well above predictions.

A necklace composed of nine ‘Stuart crystal’ memorial slides comes for sale at Sworders’ auction of Fine Jewellery and Watches on June 27.

This Rolex Cosmograph Dayton is proof that some branded wristwatches have become an exceptional investment