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Designer Gaetano Pesce liked ‘beauty full of mistakes’, an approach reflected in his playful creations

The importance of an original box in good condition to the value of a toy is well known. But what about a display without any toy in sight, box or no box?

Show covers highly rated British artist who was content to keep a low profile

“It was no surprise that a single-owner sale of noble provenance and with royal connections was such a success”, said Thomas Jenner-Fust.

A world atlas produced by a Dublin-born man who is considered the first US commercial publisher made its way to the Irish capital to be sold at auction house Adam’s (25% buyer’s premium).

Marion Antique Auctions’ (23% buyer’s premium) May 4 sale included a 1913 yachting trophy made for the winner of the Eastern Yacht Club Cruise. That winner turned out to be Elena, a 136ft vessel owned by railroad baron Morton Plant (1852-1918).

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the new fees for buyers and sellers at Sotheby’s now applying globally.

When it comes to the portraits of the Swiss artist Firmin Massot (1766- 1849), it tends to be depictions of young female sitters shown either full length of ‘jusqu’aux genoux’ (as far as the knees) – a format he often favoured – that attract the most attention commercially.

A spectacular 19th century Steinway concert grand piano sold for $80,000 (£64,000) at Nadeau’s (23% buyer’s premium).

On April 25, in conjunction with The Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, Sworders hosted an all-day event at its Stansted Mountfitchet auction room, welcoming 30 students from Birchwood, a state secondary school in nearby Bishop’s Stortford.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper auctions

The Memphis Miliano design movement was born on the evening of December 11, 1980, when architect-designer Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) invited young creators and architects to discuss the future of Italian ‘post-modern’ design.