Europe

Maltese furniture rarely makes it to the international auction market, so it was something of a sensation when a finely decorated, mid-18th century writing cabinet came up for sale at Metz (28% buyer’s premium) in Heidelberg.

Since the 12th century the Sicilian town of Trapani has been closely connected to the art of coral carving. Thanks to the invention of a particular tool, ideally suited to the material, in the 16th century, the industry thrived.

Until his death in 2022, the musicologist and collector Rudolf Ewerhart lived in Wassenach, some 20 miles to the west of Koblenz.

This drum major’s uniform is from the era of Queen Elizabeth II, as indicated by the big, gilded-thread monogram E II R under the crown.

This rare US patent model, offered for sale by German ‘technical antiques’ specialist Auction Team Breker (21.8% buyer’s premium), aimed to change the way messages were passed via the telegraph in the mid 19th century.

Judging by recent results, there has been a resurgence of interest in products from the Bohemian glass manufacture of Lötz Wwe (Loetz widow).

To say that a mid-16th century gold medal that was auctioned by Künker (25% buyer’s premium) in Osnabrück during the sale of March 16-24 is rare would be quite an understatement.

The design of a sofa and two corresponding chairs on offer at Hargesheimer (28% buyer’s premium) in Düsseldorf could never be described as restrained.

The two-day sale of works from the French dealership Talabardon & Gautier was held at Drouot by Ader (28% buyer’s premium)

Works by Albert Anker (1881-1910) are as popular with today’s Swiss collectors as they were in the late 19th century

This charcoal drawing of a Normandy milkmaid is one of four works by Jean-François Millet (1814-75) to be included in Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr’s Paris sale of the collection of Alain Delon

The stand-out lot offered at a recent sale at Piguet (23% buyer’s premium) of Geneva was a female nude by Jean Souverbie (1891-1981).

This design for a fan leaf painted with two reclining figures of elegant women appeared in an Impressionist and Modern art sale held in Paris

This work is billed as the largest ever nude by Gustave Courbet (1819-77) to be offered at auction

The biggest surprise at a sale held by Schuler (23/20/16% buyer’s premium) came when the dramatic depiction of The Lion Hunt was offered for SFr3000

Edward Smith passed away peacefully on January 16, 2023 after a short illness. He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends

During the second half of the 19th and the early part of the 20th century, the German artist Ferdinand Keller (1842-1922) had a highly successful career as a painter of historical motifs, some imagined, some of a more documentary manner

A six-figure sum for Belgian Symbolist Fernand Khnopff was the top lot of Christie’s drawing-focused sale.