North America

The market for vintage mechanical wristwatches, which began in earnest in Europe in the 1990s, is not yet fully 30 years old but is maturing rapidly.

A sizeable collection of 18th and 19th century New York views, maps and maritime prints belonging to the Down Town Association, an historic private club located in Manhattan’s financial district, was the focus of a sale held by Arader Galleries (20% buyer’s premium).

An elaborate late-19th century engraved rock crystal, parcel-gilt, gemset and enamelled silver figural centrepiece made c.1880 by the Viennese firm of Hermann Ratzersdorfer was the catalogue cover lot of the Heritage (25 /20/12.5% buyer’s premium) silver and vertu auction in Dallas.

One of the key features of an online only sale held by Miller & Miller Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) in New Hamburg, Ontario, was a collection of around 100 vintage sewing machines assembled by Karl Koenig.

One New York saleroom that has been notably active in the book market during the Covid restrictions is Doyle (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium). A recent sale included original illustrations for some well-known English children’s books.

Diligently researched and documented by a local collector, the late William Toplis, a wide-ranging PG Wodehouse collection offered by Freeman’s of Philadelphia featured books, manuscripts, artwork and much more besides.

Five different texts from 16th century Germany are bound up in this intriguing vexierbuch.

Offering a range of antiquities, Old Masters, 19th century art, sculpture, books and manuscripts, Christie’s ‘Classic Week’ of sales in New York will take place as a series of seven online auctions next month.

This rare and well-provenanced silver mounted and quillworked presentation pipe tomahawk is billed as a highlight of Morphy Auctions’ three-day May 27-29 sale in Denver, Pennsylvania.

Spread over four days, April 30-May 3, a comics and artwork auction held by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) in Dallas raised over $7.5m with every lot sold.

Both American and European works are on offer in Skinner’s wide-ranging sale of paintings and sculpture to be held live online in its Marlborough rooms on May 31.

Several works by the celebrated master enamel craftsman Feodor Ruckert featured in the latest Russian works of art sale held by Doyle (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) in New York.

Treadway’s (25/20/15% buyer’s premium) Spring sale in Cincinnati was led by examples of Tiffany glassware and a Gallé ceramic.

The American magician William Ellsworth Robinson not only adopted the stage name of Chung Ling Soo but stayed in character as a Chinese magician on and off stage.

Two of Ian Fleming’s books were among the highlights of a general book and manuscript sale held on April 18 at a saleroom probably better known on these pages for its specialist sales in the field of magic and conjuring.