Old Masters

When it comes to Old Masters, sleeper spotters will trawl through auction catalogues looking to spot works of an earlier date than specified.

Wider spectrum of buyers means presenting catalogue entries in greater detail can pay off

Two pictures with animal appeal generated decent bidding at a North Yorkshire auction.

Leading works held back until mixed-category July auctions in a drawn-out sales season.

While Sotheby’s and Christie’s shifted their main Old Master offerings to the end of July, Bonhams (27.5/25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) maintained its auction earlier in the month with a sale in New Bond Street on July 7-8.

Early work by Spanish-born painter was identified by Old Master experts Cabinet Turquin

An unexpectedly high price was paid in a sale of Old Master paintings and drawings held this summer by auction house Aguttes (23/25% buyer’s premium plus VAT) in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

This winter village landscape showing peasants on a frozen waterway is among the works on offer at Richard Green’s exhibition Cabinet Paintings.

The ‘high season’ of summer auctions in London held by Sotheby’s and Christie’s generated £205.8m including premium last week.

Four pictures in Colchester sale provide a good case study in the factors affecting John Constable attributions and buyer confidence

In a letter to his brother, written in 1883, Vincent van Gogh expressed his admiration for the Swiss painter Albert Anker.

Among the most important clients of the 18th century artist Pompeo Batoni was Domenico Orsini, Duke of Gravina, who went on to become Cardinal Domenico Amedeo Orsini d’Arago.

Pitching a work at the right level is crucial to demand and price when it comes to selling unattributed or loosely ascribed Old Masters at auction.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.