Newbury

Dreweatts and Christie’s will jointly sell the Stanley Goldfein collection of ceramics across two sales this year.

Marion Richardson (1892-1946), a pioneer of the child art movement, was described as ‘one of the most influential art innovators of our time’.

Oil on canvas showing favoured subject of the artist takes top spot so far in UK sales outside London

The Scottish sculptor Amelia Robertson Hill (1821-1904) was surrounded by artistic family members.

Castings on Charles I era lantern clock suggests the work of William Bowyer

Giles Grendey (1696-1780) was a well known English cabinetmaker with a workshop in Clerkenwell, a member of the Joiners company rising to Master.

Two prominent single-owner collections put together into a single Town & Country sale at Dreweatts generated some decent if selective bidding when it came to the pictures on offer.

It’s wise to keep a lid on estimates for traditional pictures where condition and market freshness is lacking

What Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium) in Newbury billed as “the largest and most valuable doll collection to been seen at auction for 25 years” went under the hammer on February 22 with a further slice to come in April.

The high-flyer in Dreweatts’ (26/25/20/15% buyer’s premium) sale of the contents of Collections from Cairness House and a Wimpole Street townhouse was the set of six Chippendale chairs made for Brocket Hall that sold for £95,000 (see News, ATG No 2629).

Once considered to be the refuge of geeky teenagers, fantasy and sci-fi role playing and tabletop gaming is now hugely popular, with various celebs keen to proclaim their passion for all things orc and elf.

The appeal of more modern toys for the latest collectors buying based on nostalgia for childhood playthings was underlined by a large group of Transformers offered at Special Auction Services on January 17.

Penny in the slot machines known as a ‘Working Model’ came in many guises but, essentially, they all formed a large upright cabinet with a glass window top section.

Special Auction Services is selling what it bills as ‘the largest and most valuable doll collection to been seen at auction for 25 years’.

Auction offered near-complete example of the set that also formed a first pocket atlas of England and Wales