Auctioneers

The original artwork for 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' sold at Sotheby’s for $1.6m (£1.3m) plus 20% buyer’s premium in New York on June 26.

The sale of Indian and Islamic art at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in London on June 5 included two fine private collections of Iznik pottery.

Metal-detecting finds often prove valuable both in terms of heritage and a healthy sum at auction.

Little-known work by the Yorkshire author dating from 1927 is boosted by dedication to Suffragette friend

With a rusty blade and seemingly anonymous scabbard, an ornate hilt was the key as to why an Indian tulwar sword estimated at £100-200 instead sold for a huge hammer price of £109,500 (plus 22% buyer’s premium).

This rare Chelsea porcelain leaf-moulded teapot and cover came between a goat-and-bee jug and a crayfish salt.

Storing a bottle of carbonised mineral water upright often caused the cork to dry out, the gas to escape and the drink to go flat. Persuading a chemist or grocer to store them horizontally proved difficult until the adoption of William Hamilton’s egg-shaped or torpedo bottle.

Father and son collection stars as centrepiece of 150-lot inaugural Islamic and Indian art offering

Late last year auctioneer and valuer Mark Huddleston received three images of a chief’s staff or pole club along with an ‘is this worth anything’ enquiry. The vendor had inherited it from his family who (by repute) had done Presbyterian missionary work in Polynesia in the 19th century.

At Gildings (20% buyer’s premium) of Market Harborough, one little, or rather big bird took flight.

Dreweatts’ (26/25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) single-owner dispersal of items from Bussock Wood on June 4 included significant works from the Modern British canon.