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In a fortuitous coincidence, two Old Master drawings linked to leading Netherlandish painters emerged in the same auction at Roseberys (26/25/20% buyer’s premium) in south London.

Codex stands out as some of the world’s most important manuscripts come to auction in London

The rarity of an unusual saleroom visitor - and its original condition - was confirmed after research by Bonhams’ arms and armour department.

Born in Constantinople, the daughter of a French nobleman of Hungarian descent, painter Sophie-Ernestine de Tott (1758-1848) spent more than two decades in London as an amateur painter and musician.

Following the Franco-Prussian War, when Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany, workers at the Sarreguemines factory rejected German nationality and brought important technical skills and artistry to Choisy-le-Roi.

The swan-form sad iron is a favourite of iron collectors and has been much reproduced.

It’s not often that you hear the phrase “grandmother of the vendor, by repute the first woman in the world to jump through a flaming hoop on the back of a horse”.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) epitomised the power of words and, on June 25, that is what bidders had the chance to own in the form of those penned by the political and spiritual leader himself in a letter to his friend, South African architect Hermann Kallenbach (1871-1945).

The colours and designs of Qing dynasty robes were designed to convey rank and entitlement.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including two salerooms making a series of appointments

Our selection of lots from seven upcoming auctions

A pair of pistols Napoleon Bonaparte supposedly intended to use on himself after defeat sold for €1.69m (£1.4m) including buyer’s premium at auction house Osenat in Fontainebleau, France.

Edged weapons have been a strong feature of the market recently and involve a wide range of ages, styles and countries

Overseas buyer emerges victorious as Old Master generates fierce competition in an Oxford sale

The building frenzy that followed the British arrival in Hong Kong in 1841 brought added fire risk. Any long spell of dry, windy weather could – and periodically did – prove disastrous.

Spectacular gold dressing table set was made in the Arts & Crafts form inspired by Norse motifs

Huge Roger Hensman collection sale in Stourbridge featured up to 10,000 examples sold in 859 lots

On July 2, Vienna auction house Tiberius (27% buyer’s premium) sold the inventory of Laudon Castle, a privately owned, moated baroque residence on the outskirts of the Austrian capital.

The latest sale of Fine & Decorative Arts at Morphy’s (20% buyer’s premium) in Denver, Pennsylvania featured many good examples of Amphora and Zsolnay.