London

From noble jewels to semi-precious gems, a show in May will celebrate a ‘golden period’ of Portuguese jewellery in the 18th century. Here we preview the exhibition and then present other recent and forthcoming sale highlights.

The March 29 sale by Bonhams (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) of books from the library at Glyn Cywarch featured many highlights.

A former chairman of Christie’s South Kensington has written an open letter to owner François Pinault warning that his plans for the company could “gravely harm Christie’s in London”

A previously unknown complete set of Goya’s La Tauromaquia led Sotheby’s sale of Prints & Multiples in London on April 4.

Featured in a recent report (ATG No: 2286), a copy of Sir Charles Doyly’s Views of Calcutta and its Environs that sold for £14,000 at Chiswick Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) on March 22 was one of many lots – both printed and manuscript – that came with a Harrington family provenance.

A ground-breaking Mayfair exhibition takes a rare focus on first examples of the maiolica technique.

Two versions of Edgar Degas’ (1834-1917) statue of Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans exist. The traditionally recognised example, one bronze of which stands in the Tate Modern, was the only one known for many years and is a posthumous cast of Degas’ wax sculpture.

Back for its 10th year, the annual Modern Movement Design Fair is held in a watery setting alongside the outdoor pool at the Grade II-listed Art Deco Brockell Lido in south London.

With every one of the 531 lots sold, from an oak gateleg table that opened proceedings to a 1925 Douglas motorcycle, the March 29 Bonhams (25/20/15% buyer’s premium) sale of contents from Glyn Cywarch, a Welsh home of the Lords Harlech, was one of those ‘white-glove’ sales in which auction rooms take such pride.

Alexandra Alfandary specialises in Meissen ware and other European porcelain, with a particular concentration on 19th century Meissen. She is a regular exhibitor at fairs and is a member of BADA and LAPADA. Her shop is in Portobello Road.

A large, late work by JMW Turner appears at Sotheby’s on July 5 with an estimate of £15-25m.