North America

‘Sherlockian scholar’ is the term Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) uses to describe Robert Hess.

Judging by the overall totals, the latest Modern and Contemporary art auctions at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips in New York were something of a bump back to reality after the last two sales series posted the highest grossing totals on record.

An Egyptian polychrome sarcophagus panel from the Late Dynastic Period was one of the highlight sales at the recent TEFAF New York.

Two of Jane Austen’s works, both from the same Wyoming collector’s estate, were stand-out lots in a May 11 sale held in Chicago.

One of the top-priced lots in a recent sale held by CRN Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 23 was this work on paper by Alexander Calder (1898-1976).

One of the more remarkable results of recent weeks came in a May 3 sale at Freeman’s (26/21/15% buyer’s premium) of Philadelphia.

The American artist Alex Katz (b.1927) is known for his large, brightly coloured and boldly delineated works.

Two Generations Collection was the title of an auction of automobilia and collectors’ cars amassed by a single family.

Fine clocks from a single-owner selection sell well into six figures in New York saleroom

Following the sales series last October, Christie’s will offer a second instalment of works from the Ann and Gordon Getty collection in June.

Milestone’s 881-lot auction on May 27 in Willoughby, Ohio, is led by a collection of post-war Japanese toy robot rarities.

Six 18th century Chelsea botanically decorated plates will feature in the sale to be held by Neue Auctions in Beachwood, Ohio on May 20.

This Camille Fauré (1874-1956) covered vase with flowers, c.1935, is in enamelled copper and marked 'C Fauré, Limoges'.

Converse Auctions in Pennsylvania will be offering the clock collection of Willis R Michael (1894-1969) in its online auction on May 19.

This Qing dynasty imperial court robe embroidered with roundels of five clawed dragons on a dark blue ground will feature at Sarasota Estate Auction.

Dr Cyril Mazansky, a retired radiologist in the US, is a historian and author with a focus on UK history.