Watercolours

We regret to announce the death of Bill Thomson, the well-known dealer in British watercolours, on June 6 aged 90.

Concept drawings by John Orfe (1922-2011), an American automotive and airline designer, came for sale in Virginia.

This 19th century watercolour on ivory portrait miniature depicts Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Seton (1814-52) of the 21st Fusiliers.

With the traditional hiatus in the UK auction market typically stretching across the month of August, a number of notable picture highlights appeared slightly earlier this summer at sales around the country.

Coastal scene formerly owned by collector in the diamond mining industry attracts considerable interest

Thoughts that the sweet homely watercolours of Helen Allingham (1848-1926) have fallen from favour commercially may be premature, at least judging by the performance of a couple of works sold at a recent regional sale.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including an early watercolour by JMW Turner (1775-1851) returning to Chepstow after fundraising by local museums.

A couple of cat pictures made bidders’ whiskers twitch of late.

Like his father of the same name, Thomas Miles Richardson Jnr (1813-90) began his career in Newcastle but he moved to London in 1846.

A group of drawings which helped develop the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK buyer can step in.

Album of watercolours by mysterious but talented Indian artist takes £90,000 at Scottish saleroom

Family group at auction offered works by several generations including the renowned John Sell Cotman

Painting of an Indian Mutiny scene smashes the record thanks to bidding from the sub-continent

Portrait miniature specialist Emma Rutherford has launched her own firm after 15 years working with Philip Mould & Company.

Although catalogued simply as an 18th century English School miniature, this portrait of an Indian prince is discretely signed and dated JS 1793.

Dealers are now facing more competition from collectors as works estimated in the hundreds of pounds range are taken to four-figure prices