South-east England

An extraordinary group of garden statuary, unseen for decades, was offered for sale recently at Summers Place Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

An archive cleared from Bray Studios after Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson’s production company wrapped up its final series of Terrahawks in the mid-1980s is coming to auction at Surrey firm Ewbank’s on November 30.

Watch parts such as replacement dials, cases and hands from well-known models can add up to a lot of interest at auction, as recent results show.

Focus on two events that have been staged successfully and boosted dealer confidence

Calling all the many fans of Sunbury Antiques’ markets at Kempton Park Racecourse.

The most desirable of the varied wares produced by the small ceramics factory established by Vilmos Zsolnay (1828-1900) in the south-west Hungarian town of Pecs are those created after the 1890s.

A large 13th century Persian lustre tile sold for £80,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at John Nicholson’s in Haslemere.

Ewbank’s of Send, Surrey, will feature a series of rare 1930s Soviet travel posters in its Vintage Posters auction on October 30.

Oxfordshire dealership 3Details offers this original Louis Vuitton trunk with its instantly recognisable monogrammed canvas for £22,500.

A pair of late oil landscapes by Silva Porto (1850-93), a pioneer of naturalism in Portugal whose works appear rarely outside his home country, drew multiple bids at Chichester saleroom Henry Adams (20% buyer’s premium).

Chrissie and John Masters of the Design Gallery closed their shop in the Kent village of Westerham last year and now operate from their large showroom and warehouse nearby.

A small group of Victorian transfer-printed stoneware crocks offered by Taylor’s (24% buyer’s premium) in Montrose on September 16 included a 7½in (18cm) butter crock with the logo of the Lothians Dairy Co of Slate Ford Road, Edinburgh.

Two pieces of Moorcroft Pomegranate pattern made exceptional sums within a matter of 24 hours at the end of September. Both were early versions of the popular pattern and dated 1912 – the year William Moorcroft left his studio at James Macintyre to run his own factory in Cobridge.

Further pieces from English porcelain specialist’s collection are among highlights in Lewes.

At Morphy Auction (20% buyer’s premium) in Denver, Pennsylvania, on August 19 it was an exceptional example of an icon of the pioneering life that had everyone expecting some strong bidding.

Despite the latest Covid-19 demands, fair organisers are finding ways to go ahead.

A painting of apple blossom by the Austrian Impressionist Olga Wisinger-Florian (1844-1926) drew a five-way online bidding battle at Canterbury Auction Galleries (24% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on August 1.

Richard Luck owns and runs Coach House Antiques at 17 George Street, Hastings, with his wife Cheryl. After 30 years of trading from number 42 on the street, they moved down the road to number 17 earlier this year.

Backing up his upbeat view of the future for salerooms (ATG No 2444) veteran auctioneer Chris Ewbank enjoyed a 99% success rate at the latest outing for his Sports & Entertainment specialist department.