Features

A 19th century Russian shashka sword with fine niello-worked ornament sold for £6700 against an estimate of £250-450 at Amersham Auction Rooms (17.5% buyer’s premium) on August 1.

The marathon 12-hour 'Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence' auction of jewellery and works of art from the Al Thani family held in New York last month was a once-in-a-generation event.

This pair of green stained ivory cufflinks offered by Dreweatts (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) of Donnington Priory was made by Child & Child after a design by the eminent Pre-Raphaelite painter and jewellery designer Edward Burne-Jones.

A recent sale at Dix Noonan Webb (20% buyer’s premium) included a private collection of antique jewels, gold and enamelled boxes and pocket watches.

A collection of diamond jewellery attracted international competition at Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s (19.5% buyer’s premium) June sale in Taunton. The cache of pre-war jewels was consigned following a house call by gemmologist and valuer Richard Slater. “It was a wonderful selection of jewellery. The owner had great taste,” he said.

This gold, enamel and diamond tiger orchid brooch offered by Belgian auction house Haynault of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre last month was made by Tiffany c.1890.

A cache of military diving watches sold in Hampshire and a £125,000 Daytona spotlight the thriving market for vintage mechanical ‘tool’ watches.

On January 4, 1940, the London subsidiary of the Omega Watch Co received an urgent order from the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company for 2000 watches intended for Royal Air Force crews. Delivery was to be made by March 10, 1940.

Peter Card’s fascination with this niche area stretches to the joy of extensive research

Auctioneers from across the UK attend trade association SOFAA's biennial yacht club dinner.

The success of timed online auctions for London’s big auction houses is putting the format on the map for other salerooms too.

ATG asked practitioners to explain the ins and outs of this increasingly popular auction format.

Whether it’s delivering a 12ft long model ship or taking a dining table from Paris to London, getting a prized item from A to B safely is vital. We also report on latest developments in art insurance.

Sotheby’s is showing a growing commitment to the timed-online format.

A new insurance policy targeting dealers who do not work in traditional galleries has been launched by London and Lymington brokers Hallett Independent,.

The principle of insurance is to put you back into the position that you were in before the loss occurred. This can be challenging when navigating the art market, writes Dr Abigail Price.

We have recently acted for a number of clients who either have had the misfortune of having to call on their insurance when a piece of artwork has been damaged or where we have been instructed by insurers to bring a swift resolution to a spurious claim, writes Rudy Capildeo.

While fairs remain a vital part of the art market calendar, the rich series of gallery selling exhibitions in Mayfair and St James’s this summer offer more chances to view and buy – at a different pace.

Britain still has many ‘antiques’ towns and streets – those picturesque corners of the island populated by shops, galleries and centres that together act as a magnet for antiques tourists. Two of the largest communities of dealers close to London are Petworth and Hungerford, while a busy schedule of regular fairs and markets takes place to the south-west of London.

Housed in a remarkable purpose-built marquee, Masterpiece London returns to the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea for its tenth anniversary