Auctioneers

The wide-ranging sale at Hansons (17.5% buyer’s premium) at Etwall on February 21 included a 20-lot section of fountain pens which offered a brief overview of this largely affordable area of collecting.

From different centuries and different cultures – same surprising high results for these two toys offered at Tamlyns’ (18% buyer’s premium) sale at Bridgwater on February 15.

Private works on a European theme yield strong prices in Cambridgeshire sale...

Seen here is one of 13 coloured lithographs by Marc Chagall that make up Tales from the Arabian Nights, a special, deluxe portfolio printed by Albert Carman and published by Pantheon Books in New York in 1948.

A fairly early example of a traditional way of insulting Britain’s enemies up to and including the Second World War, this early 19th century twin-handled chamber pot was rated at £2200 by bidders at Lockdales (18% buyer’s premium) at Ipswich.

This Japanese rice paper drawing was among a number of lots to draw strong bidding at Dreweatts and Bloomsbury’s (24% buyer’s premium) offering of the Jan Krugier collection.

Presumably the recipient, one Charles Salter of ‘Edinborough’, was pleased to receive to this 18th century green-glazed creamware presentation teapot in 1791.

An oil of HMS Ophir moored off Halifax in Canada sold for a multi-estimate sum at George Kidner’s (19% buyer’s premium) sale in Lymington on March 2.

Auctioneers are gearing up to win business and take on staff in the wake of the closure of Christie’s South Kensington later this year.

As evidenced by prices recently recorded on these pages for Meiji and earlier material, collectors and dealers have been ahead of the City analysts currently looking at the revival of the Japanese stock exchange.