Features

‘Significant damage and rust’ was spot on as a catalogue description when it came to an enamel sign sold at Cotswold Auction Company (22% buyer’s premium) on February 8. It was a mess.

Globalisation, the phenomenon that first created a Western market for Asian art in the 17th century, is once more changing the way that Chinese works of art, in particular, are being sold.

Bonhams holds a sale titled Polish and Poise: Japanese Art Through the Centuries sale at New Bond Street on May 12.

This 14th century cinnabar lacquer dish measuring almost 14in (35cm) across was acquired in Shanghai by the father of the present owner in the 1930s.

McTear’s in Glasgow conducts an Asian Art sale on June 10 where a set of 11 Satsuma plates is guided at £1000-2000.

While classic, vintage and antique cars have a sizeable collecting market, the wider worlds of automobilia and petroliana also attract dedicated enthusiasts with plenty of auctions featuring a variety of lots.

The sale of Important Chinese Art at Sotheby’s on May 11 includes this monumental Kangxi famille noire vase estimated at £220,000-280,000.

Chiswick Auctions holds three sales on May 16-17: Asian Art Part I and Part II and a catalogue titled The Chinese Art of Monochrome.

The You Can Be Sure Of Shell adverts are some of the most familiar and renowned examples in British graphic design.

This 19th century Tibetan conch shell ritual trumpet, known as a dung-dkar, forms part of the Tony Bingham collection of musical instruments.

Led by Asian art specialist Lee Young, Dore & Rees will conduct a sale of Fine Asian Art in Frome on May 16.

This London Transport poster for the Motor Show that took place from October 17-26, 1935, in Olympia, west London, was designed by Heather Perry – known as Herry Perry (1897-1962). It was printed by The Dangerfield Printing Co, London.

The sale of Japanese works of art at Woolley & Wallis on the morning of May 17 is led by this 8in (20cm) high silvered bronze okimono of a cockatoo.

French illustrator Robert Falcucci (1900-89) was famous for his graphic works of the Art Deco era – particularly the Monaco Grand Prix posters.

This 2ft (60cm) tianqiuping or ‘heavenly globe vase’ is seemingly the only one known with this decoration.

Spirit of Ecstasy has adorned the bonnet of every Rolls-Royce motor car since February 6, 1911.

Vessels of archaistic form were popular with the Qing who wished to emulate the perceived virtues of antiquity.

Lyon & Turnbull notes that while mascots made no functional contribution to a car, they “certainly added style, and generally have fared better over time than the cars to which they were mounted”.

Ewbank’s (24% buyer’s premium) held a dedicated Cars, Motorbikes, Scooters & Automobilia auction on December 2 in Send, Woking.

Top price among a selection of car mascots offered in Newcastle came for a design in honour of the French aviator George Guynemer.