East Midlands

“Buyers want to get back in action after the Christmas holiday,” said Darryl Kirk, saleroom manager at Unique Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium), after 95% of the 1300 lots offered on New Year’s Day got away.

Not only is industrious Derbyshire auction house Hansons about to launch its new saleroom down south, but it is also starting a new sale format building on the popular tribal art collecting scene.

IACF came up with some interesting leads this year and featured stories included Joe Mitchell, an event administrator for IACF who is an embroiderer, working for international costume designers.

Employing a translation made in the 16th century by William Adlington, the 1924 Ashendene edition of The Golden Asse of Lucius Apuleius was printed in the press’ proprietary Subiaco type in an edition of just 124 copies, of which 16 were printed on vellum but only 13 offered for sale.

Two big names dominated the 20th Century Decorative Arts sale held by Gildings (15% buyer’s premium) in Market Harborough on November 7.

D Kevin Smith launched Windsor House Antiques in Leeds in 1957. It is now based in Barnwell Manor in Peterborough by appointment and also trades from its website.

Not many new faces at salerooms can include among their experience “a trained horse whisperer”.

An extraordinary piece of Edwardian shopping history, a window on a vanished world, is the 1400-page, 1907 catalogue for the Army and Navy stores in London.

The clearance of a neglected local property by Lincolnshire auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) unearthed several treasures including two watercolours by the 18th century British painter Thomas Girtin (1775-1802).

Virender and Paul Rose used to have a shop in Nottingham selling vintage and mid-century pieces. Three years ago they launched the 'Lady Bay Vintage and Midcentury Fair' held in June and November. It takes place at Nottingham Rugby Club in the popular Lady Bay suburb, south of the east Midlands city at West Bridgford.

Dominated by two lots of Chinese porcelain, the September 28-30 sale at Hansons (17.5% buyer’s premium) also included eight Royal Worcester pieces by George Owen (1845-1917) who was inspired by the Orient to produce his trademark reticulated wares.

Among the most coveted of all Martinware is the ‘Wally’ bird. These quirky and grotesque jars (really caricatures of people in Victorian London), were produced from the early 1880s onwards and were named after their maker Robert Wallace Martin, one of four brothers who ran the famous British pottery.