Newbury

Artist survived a shipwreck but then spent a decade creating portraits and views of the local landscape

A George III cast bronze two-pounder sold on June 3 came from a group of 12 cast for a commission by second Viscount William Courtenay, most probably for his private yacht Dolphin in 1775. The cannon was later removed to Powderham Castle, Devon.

Some ‘prisoner of war’ productions are now thought to have been made by skilled craftsmen

Matthew Boulton’s inventory of stock in 1782 lists “1 small figure of Minerva”, according to Nicholas Goodison’s Ormolu: the Work of Matthew Boulton, 1974.

The top price of the recent sale of the Philip Astley-Jones collection came for a portrait with a strong Indian connection.

Possibly a pair with Franklin, but saleroom unable to trace another example depicting Washington

What a difference three years and an estimate can make.

The London-based design company Isokon, which produced furniture by Wells Coates and Marcel Breuer, and Gerald Summers’ firm Makers of Simple Furniture both explored the radical possibilities of lamination.

A white-glove sale tells its own story about the health of a market

The Fine Jewellery sale at Dreweatts (26% buyer’s premium) in Newbury on March 19 included two quite different lots from the subcontinent - and both were well received.

Highlights from the extensive David Finn German toy collection sold at Special Auction Services

One of the rarest and most colourful Lehmann toys put in a bright performance at Special Auction Services.

A series of British portraits offered across two different Dreweatts (26/25% buyer’s premium) sales got the new year off to a good start at the Newbury saleroom.

A gentleman (Dukatenscheißer) with his trousers pulled down excreting a gilt metal coin from his bottom or a composition nodder of a grotesque women beating a child might not be for everyone.

Farnborough Technical College hosted many memorable bands for gigs it seems, judging from a six-lot selection of posters that appeared at Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium).

Palitoy was a major player in the British toys scene.