News

UK: G.A. HENTY fans, trade and private, gathered at Bonhams (Buyer’s premium: 15/10 per cent) on March 13 for the disposal of a superb collection of his many books.

UK: FOR some odd reason, the books in the golf memorabilia sale held by Christie’s South Kensington (Buyer’s premium: 17.5/10 per cent) on February 28 were mostly offered as job lots – and it would seem that a number of those lots contained books that should, and in sales past, certainly would have been offered separately.

US: THIS etched and engraved writing sheet, published by Edward Langley c.1790 and featuring coloured vignettes of scenes from Capt. Cook’s Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, was a a rare item which sold at $6000 (£4140).

GERMANY: ONE of the earliest items available at W.G. Herr’s (buyer’s premium 18 per cent + VAT) latest sale on March 17 was an iron and copper Zunftdose (guild member’s box, right), 81/2in (22cm) tall and engraved Magnus Brock Möller der Hunger 1697, that comfortably cleared estimate with DM7500 (£2400).

The wind has always been blowing strongly in one direction in the market for American weather vanes, and this 1930s example, left, offered at the Harrogate rooms of Morphet’s (10 per cent buyer’s premium) on March 15 was always expected to sell for a high price.

Age, practical usage and quality have always made for healthy prices for looking glasses and when one adds today’s demand for the decorative it was not too suprising to see this fine late Regency rococo frame lead the Cheltenham sale held by Bruton Knowles (10 per cent buyer’s premium) back on February 27 where it sold at £12,000.

UK: Christie’s are set for a dramatic shake-up of their UK operations with the announcement that they are “exploring a number of options for our future in London including consolidation into a single site”.