Scotland

It may be strange and surreal, but John Spencer-Churchill’s (1909-92) landscape panorama of the evacuation of Dunkirk is the only depiction of the event known to have been painted by an eyewitness.

Shapes Auctioneers based in Edinburgh is to close.

A William Nicholson (1872-1949) portrait drew admirers at Thomas R Callan (17.5% buyer’s premium) on November 19 as it was hammered down for £150,000.

For its final pair of exhibitions this year, The Fine Art Society in Edinburgh is staging Modern Scottish Paintings, 1940-85 and John Byrne Rock ‘n’ Roll from November 24-December 23.

It’s a new name and a new start for a Jedburgh saleroom this autumn.

Gilleasbuig Ferguson Rare Books trades from the Isle of Skye and is a member of the ABA, PBFA and ILAB.

Dated by the Edinburgh auctioneers to c.1815-17, a group of watercolours made on a voyage to the Middle and Far East was bid to a far higher than expected £13,000 in a 650-lot Lyon & Turnbull (25/20% buyer’s premium) sale of October 11.

With sales of post-1860 design a seasonal fixture round the country, an argument could be made for Scottish auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) having a geographical edge.

Running from November 10-12 on the outskirts of Perth, The Scone Palace Antiques & Fine Art Fair hosts many Scottish dealers. Among them, Carse Antiques brings a selection of furniture and fellow specialists Cathedral Antiques as well as Hilary Farquharson, who will offer antiquarian books.

Figuring why a specific lot did unexpectedly well is part and parcel of reviewing auctions but this oil on board lunette of a pastoral idyll below is more of a challenge than most.

In fine art, the ‘Glasgow Boys’ group of artists are famed. In the contemporary jewellery scene, the ‘Glasgow Gals’ are now in the spotlight.

Thomson Roddick has been running auctions across Scotland for more than 130 years but is now planning to expand its operations in the Borders.

Glasgow saleroom Mulberry Bank will offer a late 18th century Qing famille rose bottle vase with an estimate of £1.5m-2m in its October 20-21 auction.

John Alexander (1686-1766) was the son of a doctor in Aberdeen and the great-grandson of the famous artist George Jamesone.

Enhancing a growing reputation at Edinburgh auction house Thomson Roddick (17.5% buyer’s premium) for optical instruments, a recent sale included 18 lots of binoculars and the like.