London

An early German whaling scene took top honours at marine specialist Charles Miller’s (20% buyer’s premium) May Day sale in West Kensington.

The honours of the last Duke of Cambridge (before Prince William) will be in the spotlight at a London auction this summer.

Exotic visions are Orientalist art’s stock-in-trade. Bustling bazaars and colourful mosques, lavish harems and sun-drenched deserts populate the canvases in this field.

Modern Egyptian art emerged as a stand-out sector during Islamic Week. The leading lot of Sotheby’s 20th Century Art/Middle East sale was a work by pioneering painter Mahmoud Said (1897-1964), dubbed the father of Egyptian modernism.

Matthew Adams is moving into bling – well, vintage and antique jewellery from the Georgian period onwards.

“Full steam ahead” is the battle cry of Marcus Budgen, the soon-to-be head of the medals department at Spink. He is due to replace David Erskine-Hill who is leaving that role following an ‘offer he can’t refuse’ – to be the curator of the best collection of Victoria Crosses in the world.

This c.1680 pink painted century Swedish table was among the sales at the recent Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair.

North-west London’s Church Street is strengthening its events calendar and increasing the variety of dealers with a series of initiatives to attract customers.

A rare 18th century variable microscope by eminent instrument maker George Adams sold for £88,000 at specialist science and early technology auctioneer Flints (20% + VAT buyer’s premium).

An unusual collection of more than 300 blue-toned cyanotypes showing American railroads in the early 1900s is on offer at the third annual London Photograph Fair Special Edition (May 19-20).

The latest venue in south London for the vintage and retro fairs run by Alison Davis and Alan Old as So Last Century has an interesting history, to say the least.

Four years in, Photo London is growing and has many of the marks of remaining a popular and respected fair for dealers in both historic and contemporary photography.

Richard Green takes full advantage of its two New Bond Street galleries this month with a pair of exhibitions, both focusing on 20th century painting.

Marcus Budgen is to head the Spink medals department after the departure of David Erskine-Hill.