South-west England

More than 700 lots of Decorative Arts and Design spanning the 19th through to the early years of this century were offered for sale by Woolley & Wallis (25/12% buyer’s premium) in Salisbury over two days.

The Woolley & Wallis sale on October 6 included 36 lots by the Birmingham Arts & Crafts jeweller George Edward Hunt that had come by descent from his family. They had featured in an exhibition held at Bonhams in 2006.

Two pieces of bronze sculpture from the Woolley & Wallis sale on October 6-7

A Rowland Ward replica of a great auk – the flightless seabird that became extinct in the mid 19th century – sold at auction in Gloucestershire for £25,000.

Coadestone urns to this design were a personal favourite of company founder Eleanor Coade herself.

A Colored Troops Medal or Butler Medal was offered for sale at the Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour Militaria at Woolley & Wallis (25% buyer’s premium) in Salisbury.

Entered by different vendors to raise money for charities, and accordingly given token estimates, petrol signs and Irish banknotes took the top prices at Clarks Auctions Rooms (17.5% buyer’s premium) in Liskeard.

Brought back to England by 19th century travel writer Richard Ford, a carved alabaster relief of the Madonna watching over Christ was the outstanding lot from a Gloucestershire country house offered at Mallams Cheltenham (22.5% buyer’s premium).

This lithographic poster design of Titanic and Olympic, c.1910-11, was withdrawn after the disaster of 1912 so there are only a handful in existence today. They would have been used in travel agents and White Star Line offices to advertise the liners.

Boxes such as these fashioned and painted as cottages are among the most desirable of all 19th century caddies and boxes.

A high-quality veduta of Venice by one of Canaletto’s followers was the runaway star at Chorley’s (22.5/15/12.5/10% buyer’s premium) two-day auction in Gloucestershire.

Motor cars became more affordable and reliable particularly in the 1920s-30s, making day trips increasingly popular.

In the campaign furniture market, provenance and an interesting story behind the owner are important.

Works by two Modern British female artists whose stars have been rising commercially over recent years topped the bill at the latest fine art sale held at David Lay (18% buyer’s premium).

Lawrences’ (25% buyer’s premium) sale in Crewkerne on September 10 featured three swords that came to auction from the family of the ‘Father of the RAF’: Viscount Trenchard GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO (1873-1956).

Early work by the Plymouth artist portrays himself alongside German alchemist

Future president’s 'How to Get Rich' is a curious feature of a bumper summer sales week

Just occasionally it doesn’t always pay to catalogue with great depth.

The works of French painter André Masson (1896-1987) are regarded as a bridge between Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.