US

Published in 1862, one exceptional lot in a Californian sale that focused on food and drink was billed as “The Canonical Text in Bartending”.

One of the finest European railway toy collections built in the US generated a suitably enthusiastic response when it came to auction.

This rare French Emile Jumeau bisque-headed character doll from c.1892, with a distinctive light brown complexion, turned heads in a US saleroom.

On August 19 Pook & Pook will sell the collection of Barbara A and Fred Johnson of Rockford, Illinois, owners of Barbara A Johnson Antiques.

Thomaston Place is holding one of its extensive multi-discipline summer sale over three days from August 27-29 featuring a wide mix of American, European and Asian paintings, furnishings and objects.

Embroidered samplers and pictures in high demand stateside

A Texas sale generated six-figure sums for two very different lots.

Toucans were the avian best-sellers in a recent sale held by Freeman’s (26/20/12% buyer’s premium) of Philadelphia.

The centrepiece of a sell-out 762-lot toy sale held by Milestone (20% buyer’s premium) was a collection formed by Margaret and Joel Weissmann.

Swann’s sale of vintage posters in New York on August 5 will include this poster from 1919 designed by Charles Loupot to advertise Mekka cigarettes.

Remarkable sums were paid for vintage video games at Heritage Auctions – including a record-breaking $1.35m (£1m) bid for Super Mario 64.

London-made flintlocks with a solid provenance to Alexander Hamilton took to the stage at US sale

European ceramics from renowned US collector come to the New York rostrum.

The sale of European Décor and Design to be held by Skinner in Massachusetts online from July 20-29 will include a large selection of Wedgwood ceramics.

Charles Carroll’s printed copy of the Declaration of Independence – discovered earlier this year in a Scottish family home – sold at auction in Philadelphia for $3.7m (£2.85m) plus premium.

Some lots in a recent Chicago sale were quite enormous – like a near-complete run of Limited Editions Club publications from the years 1929-2010.