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This silver and enamel vase by Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927), the great master of Japanese cloisonné, sold to an English collector for £11,000 at Halls (24% buyer’s premium).

Pictured here are two paintings by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) appearing on the French auction scene this season within the space of a month - one sold, the other upcoming.

UNESCO is at it again, launching an initiative linked to antiquities with a series of bogus statistics to justify it.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions

Dealer Peter Harrison has sold a recently reidentified portrait by 17th century painter Mary Beale (1633-99) to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Among the most desirable of all ‘Prattware’ transfer printed wares are the series of very rare and highly decorative exhibition-style advertising plaques produced for firms such as Crosse & Blackwell and Huntley & Palmers.

On December 12 in Paris the auction firm Pescheteau-Badin will be offering this writing table that belonged to Louis XV.

Decorative Highland dirks from the late 19th century, often mounted in silver and set with cairngorms, appear for sale with some frequency.

It is often said that the mark of a good illustrator is that their work is instantly recognisable.

Our selection of 12 lots from upcoming UK auctions

A piece of French cabinetmaking with a provenance to Louis XV came up for sale on November 25 at SGL enchères (26.4% buyer’s premium inc tax).

Fashion specialist Kerry Taylor was astonished to receive an email containing images of actress Elizabeth Taylor’s Oscar dress from 1961.

Sixth instalment of single-owner collection on offer in west London features wonderful workshops

Collection from unnamed vendor supplies some of the highest prices in a sale at the Drouot centre

Some notable auction action has been generated by the artist Robert Polhill Bevan (1865-1925) over the last few months.

Cast-iron provenances and first appearances on the market combine to boost value in a Cornish saleroom

From 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' to 'The Last Duel', films nearly always depict the Middle Ages as dark, dingy and beset by bad weather.

'Landscape and Figures' by Archibald McGlashan (1888-1980) is among the highlights at Ottocento’s Modern British art exhibition.

An exceptional silver Breguet hump-backed carriage clock commissioned by car maker Ettore Bugatti topped Bonhams’ latest Fine Clock Sale.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the inaugural auction at RWB Auctions' new saleroom, a former Co-Op supermarket in Royal Wootton Bassett.