North America

This Superman Krypto-Raygun is a vintage projector toy that allows the user to flash picture stories onto the wall.

Pook & Pook of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is to offer works from the estate of Mark and Marjorie Allen, antiques dealers from New Hampshire, over two days on June 30 and July 1.

This 19th century, c.1850, archaeological revivalist 22ct gold necklace by Carlo Civilotti of the Civilotti family of jewellers in Rome will feature in Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ wide-ranging three-day auction taking place in Maine on July 8-10

“Congress have judged it necessary to dissolve all Connection between Great Britain, and the American Colonies; and to declare them free and independent States…”

Just one other example of Mary Shelley’s famous tale has made more at auction

Maps and views of San Francisco were among the principal attractions of an April 21 sale held by local auction house PBA Galleries (25/20% buyer’s premium) to disperse the first portion of the Charles Fraccia Collection.

A pair of revolvers presented to American Civil War general and later US president Ulysses S Grant soldfor $4.4m (£3.61m) or $5.17m with premium.

Copy printed in Boston in 1744 and now offered in Chicago was defective but a real rarity

An inscribed copy of F Scott Fitzgerald’s 'The Great Gatsby' was the most expensive purchase in a held by Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium).

TEFAF New York and Eye of the Collector are both cross-collecting fairs with an emphasis on Contemporary art but staged in historic buildings and also offering antiques.

Man Ray’s 'Le Violon d’Ingres' has set a new record for a photograph, selling for $10.5m (£8m) at Christie’s in New York.

Underlining the recovery of the post-covid art market, at the very top-end at least, the latest series of 20th and 21st century auctions in New York posted a record total for a flagship auction fortnight.

In Massachusetts, auction firm Skinner (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) held the first of a series of sales given over to the carpet collection of Jim Dixon with an online session from April 25-May 6 and a live sale on May 4.

Estimated at just $200-300, this folding map of the island of Antigua proved rather more expensive than expected.

Auction houses will no longer be legally required to publicise guarantees on artworks sold in New York City when a repeal of business regulations goes ahead next month.

Christie’s flagship sales of Modern and Contemporary art in New York produced a running total of $1.25bn (£1.02m) including premium from four evening auctions last week.

This remarkable Baccarat tantalus in the form of an elephant and howdah sold at Can$120,000 (£75,000) at an auction in Victoria, British Columbia.

Alchemical work is best-seller as Vishniac lots create a valuable mix in the saleroom