South-east England

Militaria related to the SAS has never been short of eager collectors wanting to splash out for items connected with the British special forces unit.

Among the works attracting interest at a recent Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) sale were two pictures formerly in the collection at Shakenhurst Hall.

Edward Cruttenden of Sunbury Antiques is looking forward to November 20 and the last monthly antiques and interiors fair of the year he runs at Sandown Park Racecourse, near Esher.

Two ancient country manors refurbished by two of the 20th century’s leading UK interior designers brought what the auctioneers described as ‘pre-Covid atmospheres’ at Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) Donnington Priory rooms.

Tapestries featured at both Dreweatts’ Chilham Castle auction and Flaxley Abbey sale.

Venue clash means Malvern Flea is off but Detling is a definite B2B destination

Carved giltwood mirrors were in strong demand at Dreweatts, four of them among the five-figure prices.

The 1882 Royal Worcester porcelain ‘Patience’ teapot has become a satirical emblem of the Aesthetic movement.

Highest price in five years is achieved for Manchester School and Staithes Group artist

Judging by recent events, members of the Conservative Party might well look back longingly to the days of Margaret Thatcher when Britain’s first female prime minister brought a comparative measure of stability to government.

Air Commander J Searby had a key role to play in the Peenemunde Raid targeting the V weapons factory during the night of the August 17-18, 1943, as part of the RAF’s elite Path Finder Force.

The big attraction in a job lot estimated at £60-100 that went on to sell for £14,000 in a September 23 sale held by Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) was a copy of Britannia: or, a Chorographical Description…, Dr Edmund Gibson’s 1695, updated and English language version of a well-known earlier work.

In 1888, in response to a tender issued by the War Office, Prof Archibald Barr and Dr William Stroud submitted an application for an optical range-finder patent to the Patents Office.

A number of pictures from another single-owner collection caught the eye at Dreweatts a month earlier than the Flaxley Abbey auction.

Translation was first time a major poem of antiquity appeared in an English language form.

Naive artworks that can also suit modern decorating taste are rising in popularity and price.

Bid to £3400, a 1703 first edition of Martin Martin’s Description of the Western Islands of Scotland in a later full calf binding proved the most expensive item in the 250-lot book and ephemera section that opened an October 5-7 auction at Stride & Son (18% buyer’s premium).

An edition of Queen Victoria’s Leaves from the Journal of our Life on the Highlands… took £550 at a Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) sale of September 23.