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An unexpectedly high price was paid in a sale of Old Master paintings and drawings held this summer by auction house Aguttes (23/25% buyer’s premium plus VAT) in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

The timing could have been a disaster, but three dealers who opened an antiques centre in Dorking at the beginning of the month have been rewarded for their ambition by a very encouraging start.

Keeping score in the earliest days of the Football League was not as easy as checking the internet.

Delayed for a month by the pandemic, the specialist sewing sale held as a timed online auction on thesaleroom.com at Bleasdales (20% buyer’s premium) of Warwick proved a profitable stitch in time. The sale, which covered the gamut of collectables, closed with only 16 of the 665 lots failing to get away.

A work by the Orientalist artist Alphonse Etienne Dinet (1861-1929) was the object of keen competition at Drouot Estimations (24% buyer’s premium) in Paris.

Talk about 30 years of hurt. What about 100 years?

Eighteenth century seat furniture took the top honours in Artcurial’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) two-day sale of furniture and works of art in Paris.

The linocuts produced by artists from the Grosvenor School provided an ideal medium to portray speed and movement in the inter-war machine age – and were perfect for sport subjects too. Those created by Sybil Andrews, such as her classic speedway image, are the best known on this theme.

Just three lots unsold in Edinburgh auction as private and international bidders dominate

An ensemble of jewellery by René Lalique was on offer in a Decorative Arts sale held by Tessier & Sarrou (28% buyer’s premium) at Drouot. All the pieces were signed examples of his distinctive Art Nouveau style and inventive use of non-precious materials.

MADAM – During these challenging Covid-19 times, it is encouraging to note that stamps, at least, have held up well, perhaps because philately is the perfect hobby for the home buyer.

Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs’ mid-summer fair at the Dorking Halls on August 16 has been cancelled.

As with so many other sales schedules for the summer, Graham Budd’s June two-day auction had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown. However, he has just announced that he will be holding his next on November 9-10 as a live ‘broadcast’ auction (all forms of bidding except for in the room, viewing by timed appointment at the firm’s Enfield premises).

The contents of a country house in Exmouth turned up not one but two large watercolours by Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935), the pre-eminent British painter of ornithological subjects.

Good art at a great price in regional sales

Tajan (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) held a recent sale offering three paintings by Léonard Tusguharu Foujita (1886-1968).

MADAM – You might suggest to Anthony Carter that he should photograph the faint inscription on his ‘fake Constable’ (Letters, ATG No 2451) with an infrared setting on a camera (often called ‘night vision’ on cameras).

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period July 29-August 5, 2020. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

A legend of golf is represented at Shropshire saleroom Mullock’s Golfing Memorabilia and Antique & Modern Fishing Tackle auction on August 13-14.

Copy of newspaper containing what became the US national anthem makes sale appearance