South-west England

Among the most eagerly contested lots in a recent sale at Chorley’s (23.5/15/12.5/10% buyer’s premium) was a collection of early 20th century tattoo ephemera.

A forgotten moment from the engaging story of the Martin family of potters is told through a teapot sold at Woolley & Wallis’ British Art Pottery & Design auction on December 3.

A remarkably well-preserved blue sprang sash, dated c.1620, was the stand-out lot in a sale of textiles and antiques at Cirencester auction house Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium).

A football collection of shirts, medals and international caps belonging to Britain’s first million-pound player, Trevor Francis, was on offer at Piers Motley (18% buyer’s premium) in Exmouth, Devon, on October 17.

More pieces appear from a collection that survived a couple of devastating blazes at the family home

In the 19th century Sutton's Seeds was leading the way in formulating policy for seed testing.

The latest sale of Petroliana at Richard Edmonds Auctions (12/20% buyer’s premium) in Chippenham included a super-rare English oil can.

Pre-17th century English oak carving tends to generate a certain amount of market excitement on the basis that much less of it survives.

A recent sale at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (26% buyer’s premium) in Exeter included a late 15th century Italian manuscript that is thought to be a codex unicus.

Braxton joins newcomers at a market with 32 dealers and a waiting list

Four generations of the Bartlett family have farmed Hinton Farm near Yeovil in Somerset.

Although the size of the collecting audience is changing - and the arrival or departure of just one or two committed buyers can make a significant difference to prices - British provincial wares can command decent prices.

The Autumn Auction at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (26/25% buyer’s premium) in Exeter included an array of unusual objects from the collection of the late Christopher Hawkings.

The hubbub that is the Giant Shepton Flea has been run by veteran fair organiser Sue Ede and her family for nearly 25 years.

In his magnus opus Memorials of the Jeypore Exhibition, 1883, Thomas Holbein Hendley (1847-1917) documents what he called “a new and most interesting style of engraved silver plate developed in Alwar”.