UK

A sofa in the form of Mae West’s lips and a lobster telephone are among the surrealist lots from West Dean House to go to auction in December.

The 10th anniversary edition of PAD London closed on October 9 after a week of steady sales.

A London-based musician’s equipment, including an antique violin, has been stolen and she is calling on the trade to help her find it.

Sotheby’s has increased its buyer’s premium with the changes effective from November 13.

Art and antiques dealer Gordon Watson sold part of his collection at auction last week, raising £842,939, including premium.

This late medieval marriage ring, unearthed by a metal detectorist last year in North Yorkshire, has been sold to London dealers Wartski for a five-figure sum after a private deal was negotiated by independent valuer Mark Littler.

A north London independent antique restorer is trying to prevent his landlord from redeveloping his shop.

In a new weekend series, Antiques Trade Gazette brings you a selection of quotes from dealers, auctioneers, collectors and others – from the future gazing to recalling past mistakes. For instance, which world famous art dealer sold a signed John Lennon album for a song?

Forum Auctions’ white-glove Banksy sale made more than £600,000 and set 15 records this week.

This early George III mahogany serpentine dressing commode with distinctive carved decoration forms part of a group thought to have been made by the London cabinet-maker William Gomm (c.1698-1780).

Fancy a piece of the opulent Mandarin Oriental hotel in your own living room?

Forum Auctions has formalised its deal with book dealer Filippo Rotundo’s Phiobiblon Gallery and will hold Forum branded auctions in Italy later this month.

London dealer Philip Mould has revealed his “first and most stupid deal” and his regret at missing out on buying a drawing by David Hockney.

The organisers of a new collectors’ fair at Marlborough College say they have had “a tremendous response from the trade” but still have a few spaces left for the inaugural event later this month.

The original ‘It’ bag, a Hermès Birkin, has proved yet again that it remains the world’s most desirable bag after setting an auction record for Fellows Auctioneers this week.

Fewer lots were on offer at this year’s Frieze-week auctions in London but demand generally held up with international bidders taking advantage of favourable exchange rates.

African artefacts, jewellery and fossils from a family collection linked to the celebrated palaeoanthropologists, the late Louis and Mary Leakey, are to be sold later this month at The Cotswold Auction Company.

The new management of Stanley Gibbons has launched a scathing attack on the way the firm had been run after the collectables and auction group posted losses of £29m.

Frontman Paul Weller’s shoes and bassist Bruce Foxton’s guitars were among 800 lots of The Jam memorabilia auctioned at the weekend.

A musket made in the Chinese Imperial workshops, complete with marks, will become the first of its kind to be offered at auction next month.