Toovey's

Aboriginal painter Namatjira’s evocative Australian work makes rare appearance in a British saleroom

The latest sale of Objects of Vertu at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) in West Sussex included two impressive examples of mid-20th century Australian goldsmithing.

A rare James II and Queen Mary of Modena silver medal commemorating a Spanish shipwreck recovered in 1687 sold for four times the top estimate.

Owen Simmons was a bit of a bread fan, it is fair to say. A lecturer at the National Bakery School in London, he produced the lavish book shown here.

Jeremy Knight, a book collector and the former curator of Horsham Museum and Art Gallery, believes he has purchased an artwork that is “the earliest-known illustration of a black person on an English sampler”.

A rare 16th century tin-glazed earthenware charger was the subject of an extraordinary bidding battle taking it to 130-times its estimate.

Almost 120 years ago at 13 Bruton Street an estimated 10,000 visitors were drawn to an exhibition that caught the public attention and attracted record queues.

A curious pearlware pottery hybrid animal with the head of a sheep and body of a winged fish proved a popular entry at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium).

The June 8 sale at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) in Washington, West Sussex included a fine example of Meiji cloisonné by Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927).

West Sussex sale highlights – including a work detailing author’s obsession with bricklaying as a hobby

A rediscovered work by ‘Uruguay’s most important painter’ Juan Manuel Blanes (1830- 1901) has sold for a record £1.15m in West Sussex.

Late 19th century Louis Vuitton Explorer trunks are a rare and desirable subset of vintage luggage.

Published by John Newbery c.1770, 'A Little Pretty Pocket Book…' and its companion 'Little Song Book' is a very small work indeed at little more than 3in (7.5cm) tall, but the latter includes some 54 woodcut illustrations and accompanying verses related to children’s games and pastimes.

The Komai family of sword makers and armourers were among the many Japanese metalworkers courting a new clientele during the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Estimated at £800-1200, this Regency giltwood and ebonised convex wall mirror sold at £12,500 at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) on November 3.

A volume containing first editions of two important geological works by Dr Gideon Mantell sold for £2000 in West Sussex.

The founder of Toovey’s Auctioneers has been appointed Deputy Lieutenant for West Sussex.