Newcastle upon Tyne

A group of works by Robert Jobling (1841-1923), a leading figure in the artistic circles of late 19th century Tyneside, has come to Newcastle saleroom Anderson & Garland.

Manuscripts underline the overlapping lives of families in northern England and their extensive travels

A fine example of the Libertas Americana silver medal is estimated to fetch between £50,000-80,000 at Anderson & Garland’s Fine Silver and Objects of Vertu auction in Newcastle on July 22.

A rarity at a recent Woolley & Wallis (26% buyer’s premium) ceramics and glass sale was a late 18th century Wedgwood basalt intaglio seal, featuring a profile portrait of the notorious American spy Captain Nathan Hale (1755-76) beside the reversed inscription 'My Country!!!'.

From the late 18th century, Birmingham was the centre for the making of ‘toys’ – small decorative objects including boxes, nutmeg graters, buckles, caddy spoons, vinaigrettes and rattles, fashioned from silver.

Spoons are among the very few pieces of English silver surviving from the period of Wars of the Roses.

Ken Besford of Durham Promotions NE, organiser of the Great North Decorative Antique Fair, is heading down the straight for the spring edition (Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27) of the triannual event he launched last year at Newcastle Racecourse.

The second tranche of material from a German autograph collector, the late Franz-Peter Bach, was offered by Anderson & Garland (30% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Newcastle upon Tyne on March 5.

A piece of British punk fashion history drew stiff competition at Newcastle saleroom Anderson & Garland (25% buyer’s premium).

This pair of 5in (13cm) Qing bowls, each very finely decorated in iron red with dragons among cloud scrolls and stylised waves soared above their estimate of £200-400 to sell for £250,000 at Anderson & Garland on November 28.

Offered by Thomas Miller (24% buyer’s premium) in Newcastle was a large silver medal struck to mark the maiden voyage of the SS Normandie from Le Havre to New York on May 29, 1935. She took the Blue Riband at the first attempt.

Just weeks after a new auction record for Anne Brooke (1916-2002) was achieved in the regions (see ATG No 2659), two more works by the Yorkshire-born painter attracted a flurry of bids in a Newcastle saleroom.

Anderson & Garland (25% buyer’s premium) of Newcastle upon Tyne offered the private collection of militaria and weapons belonging to Douglas Napier Anderson (b.1927).

Texting and Zooming have practically taken over our busy lives and taking time out to write a card, let alone a letter, seems like too much of a stretch. Yet UK Pen Shows, which runs dedicated fairs at five UK locations, is thriving.

'Freedom is in Peril Defend it with all your Might' was a British propaganda poster published by the Ministry of Information.