UK

While Sir John Soane’s labyrinthine central London treasure trove of a house is very well known, less familiar is his country home to the west of the city.

Despite the unhelpful backdrop of Ukraine politics and the threat of economic sanctions, the Russian art market continued on its mercurial journey in the first week of June. The characteristic patchy selling rates for the ‘Londongrad’ sales were accompanied by moments of remarkable competition.

The First World War shattered not just lives but also perceptions of the ‘natural order’ of things across Europe and how it was ruled.

Was this the ring of the Tiger of Mysore, taken from his body when he was killed in battle?

It may not look much today, but this camera was the latest cutting-edge piece of technology when it was first released for sale in 1899 – and it helped lay the foundations for the future of film and moving pictures. Then it retailed for £30, now it has just sold at auction in Surrey by Lawrences of Bletchingley for £7800.

A rare example of 18th century Jamaican silver was a highlight of the latest decorative works of art sale held by Matthew Barton of Blythe Road, Olympia.

Trading from the Arts Museum in Cockspur Street, the famous James Giles (1718-80) china and glass decorating atelier produced an enormous diversity of bijouterie for the London luxury trade.

Staff and officials are still assessing the extent of the damage and loss at The ‘Mack’, Glasgow School of Art’s iconic Mackintosh Building, which was devastated by fire.

Coming to the Pembrokeshire Antiques Fair organised by Towy Fairs at Picton Castle, near Haverfordwest next weekend (June 7-8) are some 50 pieces of richly-glazed Ewenny pottery.

This Imperial Qianlong white jade ‘hinge-fitting’ achieved the highest price of the round of Asian sales held this month in London and the regions, selling for £410,000 at Bonhams New Bond Street.

For a cast-iron sign that spring has brought a resurgence in the garden look to the results of the recent biannual sale of garden design at Summers Place Auctions where Coalbrookdale seats were back in the limelight.

Plans to relocate Birmingham’s Assay office can now go ahead following the sale of its landmark building in Newhall Street.

After a period of some 40 years in single ownership, Petworth Antique Centre in the antiques-rich town of Petworth in West Sussex has been bought by an investment company, Palladian Property Investment Limited, based in London.

An instantly recognisable William Russell Flint (1880-1969) watercolour drew a strenuous competition at Mallams in Oxford last week.

A major new summer event aimed at attracting members of the public through the doors of Mayfair and St James’s galleries will launch on July 5 and 6.

A rare late-18th century George Adams Junior combined planetarium and tellurian that sold at Bonhams includes a reference to the ‘Georgian Planet’ engraved on the top plate. Today that planet is better known as Uranus, which was first observed by William Herschel on March 13, 1781, although he initially recorded it as a comet.

It all started when Phil Sylvester was a lad, as serious collecting often does.

Most fine art sales at Exeter saleroom Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood feature multiple works by the irrepressible Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002) and their latest event was no different.

James II large silver chinoiserie footed salver, the circular top flat-chased with a continuous border of four Oriental figures, two long-legged birds and further birds in flight among palm trees and other foliage, beneath sunrays emerging from clouds and further clouds. London 1688 by Benjamin Yate (maker`s mark YT), diameter approx 131/2in (34.3cm). Estimate £30,000-50,000. Sold for £30,000 hammer at Tooveys of Washington, West Sussex, May 21, 2014.

6in (15cm) long Chinese white jade carving of a Buddhist lion dog, Qianlong 1736-95, with a paper label for Queen Amelia of Portugal Collection. Estimate £30,000-50,000. Sold for £110,000 hammer at Woolley & Wallis of Salisbury, May 21, 2014