London

Bonhams has bolstered its luxury division by launching a dedicated handbag and fashion department.

It took just one sale to disperse a collection of pre-civil war silver painstakingly amassed in just over a quarter of a century at the rate of one piece a year.

Edwardian silver table bells modelled as tortoises are not too hard to find but silver pigs are a much rarer beast. Accordingly, it was surprising to see two appear on two successive days at winter sales.

William Hogarth (1697-1764) became famous in his day with the help of numerous prints he produced.

An original Queen Anne walnut wingback armchair is among the items featured in the showcase foyer at the next Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair.

Dearth of fresh works coming to the market is a challenge for Old Master auction series.

The London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair (LARTA) celebrates its 10th anniversary this year on the mezzanine of the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair in Battersea Park.

Sotheby’s (25% buyer’s premium) sale of art and antiques from the Regency manor house Spetchley Park in Wychavon, Worcestershire, held in London on December 11, included a range of ‘kunstkammer’ objects amassed by the Berkeley family in the 19th century.

The typical Georgian silver coffee pot is one of the great bargains of 21st century antiques collecting.

Games manifesto from 1892 and Audubon’s classic head a selection of money-spinners.

A white porcelain sculpture made in the experimental years of the Chelsea factory has been acquired for the national ceramics collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

A sale of art and antiques from a Worcestershire manor house included the rare appearance at auction of two examples of Opus Anglicanum.

Peninsular War medals featuring 13 or 14 clasps – showing how many actions the recipient fought in – are impressive enough in themselves. But three of them awarded to brothers who served in the same regiment, offered as a single lot at auction, takes demand to a different level.

A superb copy of Henry Hexham’s 'Principles of the Art Militarie' of 1637 was last seen at Sotheby’s in April 1919, as part of the library of the Earl of Chesterfield.

Two Frances Hodgkins (1869-1947) gouache watercolours painted during her artistic prime were taken to multi-estimate sums at separate UK salerooms in the same week.

Table with striking shape is one highlight of the first major London antiques fair of 2020

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).