Edinburgh

A country house library in south-west Scotland was the source of an album of 19th century photographs of India that provided a Valentine’s Day surprise at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh.

For the Fine Art Society in Edinburgh, the year kicks off with an exhibition of 20th century printmaking.

It was around this time of year when wealthy skiers with chalets to decorate would dial in from the slopes of the world’s most prestigious resorts to take part in Christie’s South Kensington’s annual Ski Sale.

More than £730,000 worth of pictures changed hands at Edinburgh saleroom Lyon & Turnbull’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) recent sale of Scottish art.

The rising popularity of the tribal art collecting scene is tempting auction houses to take steps in that direction.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

The season, the spirit in question and the location of the sale put this bottle of Lagavulin whisky, below, into the spotlight.

Former Christie’s vintage poster specialists Nicolette Tomkinson and Sophie Churcher have teamed up with Lyon & Turnbull to launch dedicated auctions this year.

Shapes Auctioneers based in Edinburgh is to close.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Three gallery shows will focus on Scottish art of the later 20th century.

So much more successful than their 18th century forebears, today’s Jacobites go from strength to strength.