Auction house Christie’s went ahead with its sales last week as planned despite suffering a ‘technology security incident’ that brought down its website.

Although the image may be familiar from stereoscopic photographs and engravings of the period, this view of the 1862 'London International Exhibition of Industry and Art' is an oil and canvas by the Italian painter Federico Moja (1802-85).

This wreath of helichrysum (immortelle or everlasting) flowers was apparently sent to Napoleon on St Helena as a token of support from two of his sympathisers in London.

Manuscript ‘sold in 1776’ at forerunner of Sotheby’s emerges in New York sale

Published between 1750-73, Plantae selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortis curiosorum (‘A selection of plants from natural specimens nurtured in London’s curious gardens’) is considered the most important botanical work ever printed in Germany.

The Science, Medicine & Early Technology auction at Flints (25% buyer’s premium) in Thatcham, Berkshire on May 1 was led by a complete seven-volume set of The Mineral Conchology of Great Britain by James Sowerby (1757-1822).

Original printings of two of the most familiar automotive posters sold for £15,000 each at Lyon & Turnbull (26% buyer’s premium).

Elements of a collection of ‘Mouseman’ furniture made by Robert Thompson (1876-1955) for his daughter Elsie come for sale in Yorkshire.

This miniature 17th century psalter in a contemporary pierced and engraved openwork silver binding is priced at £15,000 by Bernard Quaritch at Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair.

Remarkably, although a very successful and popular artist, no accounts of the work of the Georgian caricaturist James Gillray (1756-1815) were published in England during his lifetime.

A selection of stand-out lots coming up at a variety of auctions

ATG takes a whistlestop tour of the globe via the greatest recent collection of colour plate travel and costume books