Yorkshire and the Humber

Cases of Australian animals stand out among a family home taxidermy treasure trove

The luxury perfumery l’Officina Profuma Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence is considered the oldest pharmacy in the world.

Mounted in an autograph book that was compiled from 1937 onwards by Miss Joyce Cartmell, a sketch of Christopher Robin was a highlight of a Yorkshire sale.

The highlight of a private collection of Robert Thompson oak carvings to be offered by Tennants on March 6 is this curious anthropomorphic figure of the ‘Mouseman of Kilburn’.

Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) Autumn Fine Sale in Leyburn was topped by a pair of verre eglomisé pictures by Jonas Zeuner (1727-1814).

Four lots of French railway posters attracted a good deal of attention at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) on December 9-10.

In playing condition but with enough problems to be catalogued as ‘sold as seen’, a Nicole Frères brass inlaid music box was one of the unexpected stars of the first three-day sale to be held at Ripon auction house Elstob & Elstob (22% buyer’s premium).

Furniture by Robert ‘Mouseman' Thompson and more recent productions from the Kilburn workshop attracted the usual enthusiasm at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium).

A notable group of pictures from a local vendor gave a boost to the Autumn Art Sale held by David Duggleby (20% buyer’s premium) in Scarborough.

London dealer takes up task of identifying artist behind views ‘of Oxford and Cambridge’.

As hugely personal items and of relatively small melt value, spoons represent the great majority of English domestic silver items surviving from the pre-civil war period.

James Waggott of The Antiques Centre York is a happy chap.

In an act of decidedly upmarket upcycling, dealer Simon Wingett of Burton Antiques and his business partner have commissioned a series of casts of a George II wine cistern to be made from scrap.

The distinctive Antipodean ‘botanical’ jewellery of the gold rush era is among the first to depict the native flora and fauna. It is of huge cultural significance to Australia and its mining heritage.

As Keith Chapman of Modern Art Auctions in Scarborough says, he rarely prints catalogues but coming up in his next auction is “such a good collection of a very underrated artist, we have made an exception”.

Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) latest sale of Modern and Contemporary art generated some confident bidding both online and in the room, taking in limited-edition prints by famous names.

The Fine Wine & Whisky sale at Tennants on December 12 features this Macallan-Glenlivet 1937 35-year-old Pure Highland Malt Scotch Whisky.

This lot comprising four whiskies estimated at £30-50 ended up selling for £1050 at Sheffield Auction Gallery (20% buyer’s premium) on October 30.

Spider-Man has made a couple of successful appearances in recent UK sales.

The Submariner 5508 released in 1958 was the last of the so-called ‘James Bond’ Submariners.