North America

Sometimes it pays to look a little further afield.

A collection of Chinese snuff bottles offered in two sessions stands out among an intriguing selection of Asia Week New York auctions and dealer shows.

A four-day US sale of comics and comic art produced some extraordinary results – with 4900 would-be buyers registered and every one of the 1333 lots sold to bring a premium-inclusive total of $23.76m (£17.34m).

Some 26 galleries will be participating in the dealers’ section of Asia Week New York either in person at a variety of city galleries or online.

Michael Wajszczuk has joined Heritage’s Beverly Hills office as a consignment director in the auction house’s timepieces category.

Two letters in the hand of Benjamin Franklin, dating from 1782 and 1784 and both relating to the terms of the peace agreement between the newly independent USA and Britain that were being worked out during negotiations in Paris, provided the highest bids at Bonhams New York (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) on December 15.

Very much the highest price in the sale of American Works of Art held by Skinner (25/20/12 % buyer’s premium) in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on January 28 was this bronze figure of Abraham Lincoln.

Swann Galleries is holding a sale of Books and Autographs in New York on February 17.

US auction house Skinner has appointed Leah Kingman as director of the 20th century design department.

This Kelmscott press 1892 edition of William Caxton’s translation of 'The History of Reynard the Foxe' will be offered by Potter & Potter auctions as part of its February 26 auction of books and manuscripts in Chicago.

Two signed watercolours by the Indian artist Maqbool Fida Husain (1913-2011) will be on sale at Bruneau & Co of Cranston, Rhode Island, on February 21.

The record-shattering sum of $41m paid for an extremely rare, 1787 first printing of the US Constitution at Sotheby’s New York last November was covered in ATG No 2520, but a sale held by the same auction house a few days later, on November 23, also contained rare items of American historical interest.

Traditional collecting fields still have an attraction when estimates are realistic, as proved by 18th century porcelain and pottery auctioned in the US

This early Georgian walnut open armchair was one of the highlights of the sale of Old Master paintings, English and Continental furniture, silver and decorative arts held by Doyle (26/21/15% buyer’s premium) in New York on January 26.

This bronze Midas Head by the British sculptor Dame Elisabeth Frink (1930-33) featured in a large two-day Americana and International sale held by Pook & Pook (24/13% buyer’s premium) in Downingtown, Pennsylvania on January 13-14.

This Channel scene by the British marine painter Thomas Buttersworth (1768-1842) will feature in the Winter Marine sale at Eldred's in East Dennis, Massachusetts, on February 24.

A Star Trek journey through time spanning the entire history of the series and film franchise will be the object of a 75-lot auction at Heritage in Dallas on February 22.

The Philadelphia Show plans its 60th anniversary edition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from April 29-May 1.

The varied mixed-discipline Winter Enchantment sale to be held in Maine by Thomaston Place auctions over three days from February 25-27 will include a sizeable glass and ceramics section.