Halls Fine Art

The Asian art sale at Halls in Shrewsbury on May 11 features this 10½in (27cm) pink ground famille rose vase.

Pictured here is a signed photo-portrait of the 20-year-old future Queen Elizabeth II and her then 15-year-old younger sister, Princess Margaret.

Shrewsbury sale offered rare opportunity to bid for a letters by the great writer and lexicographer

A late 19th century novelty silver teapot offered at Halls (22% buyer’s premium) was made by US silversmith Gorham of Rhode Island.

A small drawing by John Constable of a tree in his birthplace of East Bergholt sold for a triple-estimate £31,000 (plus 22% buyer’s premium).

While this 1672 first did not quite hit the high of pre-sale hopes, it was still top lot of the Shrewsbury sale.

Literally the highlight of Halls’ (23% buyer’s premium) Autumn Sale was a hall lantern demonstrating showy high Victorian taste at its most confident.

This copy of 'Hansel and Gretel', 1925, with 12 tipped-in colour plates by the Danish artist Kay Nielsen (1886-1957), is one of 600 numbered copies (numbered 16) signed by the artist, in the original publisher’s pictorial cloth.

This cased pair of English flintlock duelling pistols by Joseph Gulley, London, c.1810-15, sold for £8600 at Halls (20/12% buyer’s premium) in a timed online sale that ended on August 2.

Showing the growing sensitivity towards estimates in the Modern British market, a portrait by Sir Matthew Smith (1879-1959) that had been unsold at Halls last year did rather better when it was reoffered last month with a reduced pitch.

Bright sunflowers and urban scene demonstrate different sides of the Mod Brit artist

This large oak Orientalist carving, 'Eastern Slave Girl', is by the Victorian woodcarver Thomas Henry Kendall.

One of the highlights at the timed online of Modern and Contemporary Art Auction at Halls of Shrewsbury, which closes on May 2, is a large painting of sunflowers by John Bratby (1928-92).

Scottish artist Joseph Farquharson (1846-1935) is best known for his snowy landscapes with sheep that earned him the nickname ‘Frozen Mutton Farquharson’.

The master wood carver and furniture maker copied out missing Bible pages when aged just 13.

The Art by Four Women exhibition held at the Walker Gallery, London, in 1935 was something of a break-through event for Birmingham-trained goldsmith Dorrie Nossiter (1893-1977).

The distinguished military career of Major General Sir George Ridout Bingham (1777-1833) included service in the Peninsular War during the years 1809-14.

A collection of works by the Victorian woodcarver Thomas Henry Kendall has been consigned for sale next month.

Halls (23% buyer’s premium) offered the Enid and Bruce Moulder collection of toy teawares via a timed online auction that closed on November 23.

Francis Towne watercolour was one of his many works to have gone through Agnews