London

Paintings by 20th century artists who flocked to Paris during its artistic heyday were the main focus in a sale of Impressionist, Modern, Post War & Contemporary Art at south London auction house Roseberys (25/20/12% buyer’s premium).

Among the selection of instructional games and pastimes featured at Forum Auctions (25/12/12% buyer’s premium) on November 21 two of the more successful lots were published by Edward Wallis.

Egypt views stand out among a selection also involving many other worldwide works

Bid to £3000 at Chiswick Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) on November 20 was a rare and early game.

Matthew Barton (25% buyer’s premium) attracted international interest in this early-19th century German gold snuff box at his November 20 London sale.

Way before the TV comedy series artist Gilbert Spencer was depicting the Home Guard.

Organiser handed sole control of Kensington ceramics and glass event revived recently.

In the 130th anniversary year of the birth of Jean Cocteau (1889-1963), a collection of ceramics by the leading figure of the French avant-garde was a sell-out at Bonhams’ Prints and Multiples sale on December 11-12.

A Roman bronze ring offered for sale by Pax Romana (15% buyer’s premium) in London on November 24 appears to shed light on a little known aspect of the imperial army: the contribution of Jewish soldiers.

Artist Sarah Biffin (1784-1850) is believed to have had the condition phocomelia and was born without hands, arms or feet.

Although catalogued as Sèvres, a porcelain cup and saucer sold by Keys (20% buyer’s premium) of Aylsham for an unexpected £5500 (estimate £100-200) on November 27 was by the factory’s precursor at Vincennes. The saucer had the date letter A for c.1754 and the cup B for c.1755.

This group of late-19th century Chinese export bowls and saucers was made for the Middle Eastern market – specifically for the Qajar prince Mas’ud Mirza Zill al-Sultan (1850-1918).

An international buyer paid £34,000 for a 15th century Netherlandish School oil on panel of the Virgin and St Elizabeth which was last on the market in 1955.

Exhibition shows how painter’s shift from realism to Pre-Raphaelite fantasies paid off.