London

“Every specialist has an object that they dream of having in their sales,” says Matthew Rubinger, Christie’s head of handbags and accessories. “For me, it’s the aluminium Explorer trunk by Louis Vuitton. The market is full of silver-coloured metal trunks, but this piece is their inspiration.”

Illuminated manuscript sales of recent times will be the subject of a future review, but seen here is something a little different in that line offered as the very first lot in a December 1 sale of such material held by Bloomsbury Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium).

A copy of WB Yeats’ The Wanderings of Oisin… offered in a recent Irish sale was an example of Fisher Unwin’s 1892 second issue. That is rare enough, but this copy bore an inscription that made it very special indeed.

Toby Campbell of Rafael Valls specialises in Old Master paintings. The gallery, in London’s Duke Street, St James’s, stands annually at TEFAF Maastricht, which next runs from March 16-24, 2019.

A notable feature of the end-of-year book sales in 2018 was the number of online auctions held by the major salerooms.

The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair takes place at Battersea Evolution in the new year, offering a wealth of objects from early oak furniture to fine art to 20th century design.

Showing hardly any signs of wear and signed by JK Rowling – and originally acquired at a special signing at Harrods, as revealed by a laid-in ticket – a near pristine first issue copy of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' of 1997, appeared at auction earlier this month.

More female talent emerged at Roseberys in the form of this fiery piece of Abstract Expressionism below by American painter Grace Hartigan (1922-2008).

Early works from artist known as Marevna is key feature of family collection sold in London.

The 'London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair' (LARTA) is held alongside the 'Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair' at the beginning of the year.

Organised for more than 20 years by aviation enthusiasts Dave Sutton and Alistair White in conjunction with the Croydon Airport Society, the annual Croydon Aviation and Military Fair is run on a charity basis aiming to keep the history of Croydon aerodrome alive.

A lavish Viennese gold-mounted porcelain tureen and stand – the epitome of Habsburg court luxury during the reign of the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI – topped Bonhams’ Fine European Ceramics sale in London on December 6.

Dutch and Flemish art also dominated takings at Sotheby's in New Bond Street on December 5. The category was 90% sold and netted the lion’s share of the sale at £24.6m (with premium), against hopes of £16.8m-23.7m.

Russian literary firsts and related manuscripts were the focus of one of the many major sales held in the UK, Europe and the US at the year’s end.

An Adventure with Colman’s Mustard by British painter Arthur Wardle (1864-1949), shown below, is among the pictures on offer at Richard Green gallery’s 50 Paintings Under £50,000.

Combining results from the Albada collection and its evening sale, Christie’s achieved its highest evening total for a December Old Masters sale in London for seven years.

Eclipsed in price by a £150,000 pearl (News, ATG No 2369), the c.1810 Swiss gold automaton pocket watch shown below was at least as eye-catching at the Roseberys (25% buyer’s premium) jewellery and watches auction on November 20.

“There are great fairs and brocantes in France but this is special, not least because of the venue.”