International

The January series of Old Master auctions at Sotheby’s New York was led by a Sandro Botticelli (c.1445-1510) painting for the second year running.

ARP (Art Research Paris), a new auction house opening in the French capital on the Faubourg Saint Honoré, is holding an inaugural sale of over 200 lots of jewellery on February 10.

Artcurial will offer a painting by the French artist Jean Siméon Chardin (1699-1779), 'Le panier de fraises des bois' (The Basket of Wild Strawberries), at its auction of Old Master and 19th century paintings in Paris on March 23.

This gouache by Fernand Léger (1881-1955), Les Loisirs, will be one of the highlights of the next sale at Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, New York, on February 6.

Not just Harry Potter but also Tolkien and CS Lewis works generate serious demand in US

An English all-wooden doll originally presented by Queen Charlotte to her goddaughter sold for $200,000 (£148,000) at a US auction.

Certain areas became hubs for the manufacture of toys, such as Nuremberg and Erzgebirge in Germany.

A new American firm, LCG (Legacy Collectibles Group) Auctions, sold what it described as “the highest graded Cobra Commander GI Joe action figure in existence” in a timed sale last year.

A rare, early 20th century Fischer tin clown tricycle wind-up toy sold for a premium-inclusive $2300 (£1725) despite not being in working condition.

Prices for more traditional toys such as dolls and teddy bears may not be at the heights of years gone by, but demand remains strong for the best items and rarities.

Couple of friends amassed extensive collections that led to a book and a major exhibition

Found covered in grime in a Portuguese auction house, a three quarter-length portrait of a dark-haired lady by Dutch artist Willem Wissing (1655-1709) has been restored to its former glory by a Belgian dealership and the identity of its sitter revealed as a British aristocrat.

The June calendar for art and antiques fairs is filling up as TEFAF revealed new dates.

Bidding on an exceptionally fine, virtually mint first edition of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone offered in the special Firsts into Film section of a December 9-10 sale opened at $75,000.

Auction totals for 2021 underline the strong recovery since the start of the pandemic

Two British sporting scenes by French artist Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) were among the best-sellers in auctions held within a day of each other on either side of the Atlantic.