Features

La Lutine, launched by the French in 1779 and later requisitioned into the Royal Navy, is today best known for its sinking.

On June 9, 1934, Donald Duck made his debut in a supporting role in a Silly Symphony cartoon titled The Wise Little Hen.

This jersey dates from between 1886 and 1890, making it not just the oldest Middlesbrough FC shirt but possibly the oldest Football League shirt extant.

With Arsenal still setting the pace at the top of the Premier League as we went to press, several lots offered at Graham Budd’s (24% buyer’s premium) sale on March 7-8 acted as a reminder of the club’s formative days.

In the 007 collecting scene Dr No (1962) is usually the film poster buyers are most keen to say yes to.

This polychrome advertising plaque features a portrait of Ninon de L’Enclos, a notorious courtesan who scandalised France by numerous affairs with prominent statesmen and church notables.

On November 26, 1976, the Sex Pistols released their first single, Anarchy in the UK.

Many animals stuffed by taxidermists stand out as fiercesome beasts that could easily have turned on the hunters themselves.

Shown here is the original 15ips (inches per second) tape of, by repute, Rod Stewart’s first recording on June 18, 1964, together with a second copy.

“A very rare and early item of cricketing history” is how Knights Sporting Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) describes the large silk handkerchief shown here.

Gold has become the standard to aspire to at the Olympics but for the first version of the modern summer Games it was silver.

This 9in (22cm) vase by the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory is signed and dated 1929 for Aleksey Vorobyevsky (1906-92)

Anthony du Boulay (1929-2022) was well known as an expert on Chinese ceramics, although his interests were more wide ranging.

The first months of this year have featured a string of wide-ranging ceramics groups offered at auction

A broad mix of English and Continental pottery and porcelain was on offer in the latest dedicated ceramics sale held by Woolley & Wallis (25% buyer’s premium) in Salisbury, a fair slice of it contributed by single-owner collections.

At his best Mark V Marshall can give his one-time employer Robert Wallace Martin a run for his money

The Adam Partridge (25% buyer’s premium) sale in Macclesfield on March 2 included a tazza from an important historical Sèvres service.

Estimated at just £50-80, a rare Staffordshire figure group sold online for £3000 at Clarke’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Semley, Dorset, on February 10.

An exceptional piece of Regency porcelain emerged for sale at Hannams (23% buyer’s premium) in Selborne, Hampshire, on February 21-24.

Chipped to both elements, a Spode cup and saucer made for use on White Star liners sold online for £6000 at Richard Winterton (22% buyer’s premium).