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Fontaine’s in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is holding one of its periodic horological auctions on November 17.

A mass boycott by more than 580 book dealers across 27 countries has forced AbeBooks to U-turn on its planned withdrawal from four countries.

By the 1950s, as the global economic landscape improved, luxury was making a comeback and so too was the prolific use of diamonds in the jewellery of France’s premier ateliers.

In the end, it was diamonds, not cake, that triggered the tragic downfall of Marie-Antoinette (1755-93) and her family. Even though the doomed queen was innocent of conspiracy, it was the affair of a diamond necklace that lit the powder-keg of revolution.

Sold for £1900 in a recent London sale was an 1892 first of Experiments with Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency – a record for this particular work.

The very Penguin copy of DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover used by Sir Laurence Byrne, the presiding judge in the famous 1960 obscenity trial, has sold for £45,000.

Anteo Subastas in San Sebastian, Spain, is offering an example of a Mexican colonial silver devotional altarpiece in its next auction on November 28.

An unusual entry to Hansons’ September auction in Teddington, south-west London, was a ‘diamond’ in the rough – an uncut 5ct crystal still in its original carrier stone.

This well-preserved medieval annular brooch set with cabochon rubies and sapphires is a rare survivor from the 14th century.

One of just 100 first edition copies of National Golf Links of America by Charles Blair MacDonald was the top lot in a recent US golf sale at $15,000 (£11,450).

Veritas will offer a Jiajing armorial dish (c.1530-50) in its next auction in Lisbon on November 27-29.

From c.1969-75, Charles de Temple (b.1929) – the son of the American film actor Tom Mix – created his series of ‘nervous jewels’, employing prickly cultural designs in two-coloured gold wire. This 18ct gold and beryl dress ring is a good example.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from November 13-23, 2018.

A London scene by an important Modern British painter will be offered at Deutscher and Hackett in Sydney on November 28.

The Fine Jewellery and Watches auction at Sworders of Stansted Mountfitchet on November 20 will include this Cartier Art Deco rose-cut diamond, black and white enamel and seed pearl-set pendant watch, c.1915.

The art and antiques trade have a love-hate relationship with television shows depicting their career choice.

MADAM – May I make a plea, through your publication, for auction houses to be aware of the damage sticky lot labels can do to the delicate water gilding on the frames of paintings.