UK

The art and antiques trade has a new opportunity to state the case for antique ivory in a meeting with MPs and peers this week.

Well-provenanced Chinese works of art posted strong sums in what was a workmanlike, rather than spectacular, Asian art season for the leading regional auctioneers.

One of the most comprehensive and best-preserved football memorabilia collections auctioneer Graham Budd (17.5% buyer’s premium) has ever handled netted a hammer total of £107,000 for a remarkable 47 lots including medals and caps on November 14-15.

In this 1917 Revolution centenary year, Soviet art assumes extra prominence at this season’s Russian series.

A letter that Edward Lear wrote in 1881 to a friend to whom he intended to dispatch two drawings of Athens was among the more successful lots that Bloomsbury Auctions (24/18/12% buyer’s premium) sold on October 19.

Inaugural winter art week involves series of joint ventures with dealers outside the initiative.

Twelve items of jewellery belonging to Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938) – the woman who inspired the DH Lawrence character Lady Chatterley – contributed more than £15,000 to the sale conducted by Woolley & Wallis on October 26.

Musical manuscripts, letters and photographs of composers offered at Sotheby’s (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on October 26 comprised the first part only of what was described as “a distinguished private collection” of books that is to be dispersed next year.

Among the many prints by Julian Trevelyan (1910-88) included in Bohun Gallery’s ‘Travels’: An exhibition of etchings is Avenue of the Americas (pictured above).

For many years, marine art sales were used by the big auction houses to tap into the wealth of the world’s yachting and sailing community.

It looks very tatty, but the dust jacket shown below is apparently a rare variant featuring a classic 1937 design by Alex Jardine for a 1927 first ‘Coronation’ edition of the Café Royal Cocktail Book.

A rather unconventional painting by the Victorian artist Joseph Farquharson (1846-1935) featured in Catherine Southon’s (18% buyer’s premium) sale in Surrey.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

Anita (1930-2015) and Irvin Garfield Schorsch (1927-2014) were not typical Americana collectors.

Just a clutch of canvases by the Cornish artist Marjorie Frances ‘Midge’ Bruford (1902-58) have gone under the auctioneer’s gavel.

For its final pair of exhibitions this year, The Fine Art Society in Edinburgh is staging Modern Scottish Paintings, 1940-85 and John Byrne Rock ‘n’ Roll from November 24-December 23.

In May 1789, as the political and financial situation in France grew ever bleaker, Louis XVI was forced to summon the three estates – the clergy, nobility and commoners – who had the power to levy taxes and implement reform.

Mark Jarrold of Vavasseur discusses the appeal of barometers, the need for new fairs and his love of strong coffee.