Shropshire

One-off football ‘super cup’ style ties are nothing new, as a very much in demand programme offered at Telford saleroom Mullock Jones (20.5% buyer’s premium) demonstrated.

An early 18th century onion-shaped decanter or carafe offered at Halls (24% buyer’s premium) in Shrewsbury was of particular interest for a point-engraved inscription to the body. It read 'The Kit Kat Club at the Fountain Tavern on the Strand'.

Turned down by several publishers, Beatrix Potter shouldered the expense of privately printing The Tale of Peter Rabbit with Strangeways Printers in December 1901.

John Wallis was one of the leading publishers of board games in the early 19th century. One of them, Science in Sport, or the Pleasures of Astronomy, was first issued in 1804 and revised in 1815.

Shouting out an important message is this figure pictured with a hanging sign at one of JOS Events’ fleamarkets at the West Mid Showground at Shrewsbury where the next is on Saturday, June 22.

A football programme for for the Estudiantes de la Plata v Manchester United Intercontinental Cup final on September 25, 1968, hammered down at a top-estimate £10,000 in Shropshire.

Sought-after book of recipes including a puff-pastry print first was intended for the use of his pupils

A Rolex used by Spanish sailor and scientist Vital Alsar Ramirez (1933-2020) during his Amazon and Atlantic expeditions in 1977 sold for £10,000 at Halls (24% buyer’s premium).

A remarkable sketchbook compiled after its creator had been taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore in the Second World War sold for £1650 (estimate £500-700) as part of a timed online sale.

The highest auction prices for Mary Adshead (1904-95) all came at Sotheby’s Olympia back in 2006.

A bronze from Frederick Edward McWilliam’s (1909-92) Women of Belfast series of sculptures sold for £37,000 at Halls (24% buyer’s premium) on December 6.

The repurposing of buildings for use as antiques centres and sometimes fairs has seen a revitalisation of historic buidings.

Top-selling lot in Halls’ (24% buyer’s premium) books and manuscripts sale on November 15 was a collection of 14 letters written by the Anglo-Irish novelist Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) between 1818-31.

This silver and enamel vase by Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927), the great master of Japanese cloisonné, sold to an English collector for £11,000 at Halls (24% buyer’s premium).

Porcelain from short-lived Staffordshire firm comes from collector and dealer who revived the market

The Times recently ran a feature on seven of the most atmospheric towns in the UK in which to do your Christmas shopping for one-off gifts, maybe combining this joysome activity with a weekend break. Here are some art and antiques options in two of them, Ludlow in Shropshire and Frome in Somerset.