UK

CHURCHILL impersonator Derek Herbert was in Towcester on March 16 to aid Northamptonshire auctioneer Jonathan Humbert in the sale of a pair of acetate tortoiseshell-effect reading glasses that belonged to Sir Winston.

A NEW auction house based at the Silverstone race track opened for business in February.

HAMPSHIRE auctioneers Jacobs & Hunt of Petersfield achieved a new house record when they sold this 17th century Italian specimen marble plaque for £37,000 last month.

ON the evening of Tuesday, March 1 thieves broke into Willingham Auctions and stole four fruit-decorated Royal Worcester vases.

AFTER 26 years working with Martel Maides, Norman Wilkinson has established his own firm of Channel Islands Auctions Ltd.

STOKE on Trent will shortly host the largest exhibition of Shelley and Wileman ceramics since the factory’s closure in 1966.

BRITAIN'S smaller regional auctioneers continue to enjoy major prices for Chinese works of art. This mark and period Qianlong (1736-96) doucai jardinière, 9in (23cm) high, achieved a house record for Douglas auctioneers Murrays (incorporating Chrystals) at their latest sale.

THIS marble portrait bust of Ann Borrett by the 18th century sculptor Henry Cheere was stolen from the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Shoreham, Kent at the end of January.

Bristol Antiques and Collectors Fair have been forced to postpone this weekend’s event on March 6 at the Memorial Stadium.

ANOTHER threat to the antiques trade on Portobello Road has been dealt with an application to open up the basement of the Admiral Vernon Arcade to seven-day trading.

AMONG the more unusual entries to Mallams' latest sale in Cheltenham was this early Victorian table carved from parrot coal.

INTERNATIONAL Antique and Collectors’ Fairs have applied to Epping Forest District Council for planning consent to hold three one-day fairs this year at the North Weald Airfield, near Epping in Essex, one of the UK’s most heavily populated counties.

THE Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum have secured this unique piece of furniture at a price of £850,000.

POLICE have thanked two female members of staff who tackled jewellery robbers in a raid on an East Sussex antiques shop.

A TAXIDERMY rhinoceros head mount has been stolen Sworders auction house in Stansted Mountfitchet in what police believe was a raid planned by professional thieves.

Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM), a new networking association to promote business interests and share ideas and information, launches next month in London.

MORE than 20,000 naval postcards, thousands of photographs and slides, and a large quantity of books will be put up for sale at Lawrences in Crewkerne in May.

A TOUCH of Bohemian rhapsody entered Christie’s South Kensington’s January 25 ‘Interiors’ sale.

LONDON’S latest series of Contemporary art sales put in a robust performance. Auctioneers posted high selling rates and saw the greatest depth of bidding since the art market downturn two years ago.

LONDON’S newest auction house, High Road Auctions, has opened its doors at the newly refurbished venue located at 30-34 Chiswick High Road.