East Midlands

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.

Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire sold a Yongzheng (1723-35) mark and period dish for £230,000 (plus premium) on September 29.

A pair of watercolours depicting Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northern-most town in England, turned up at Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) on September 2.

Narwhal tusks, once sold for colossal sums to Elizabethan gentleman as unicorn horns, continue to be in demand as sculptural natural history objects of contemplation.

Changes at Donington Park encourage moves indoors to Warwickshire during colder months...

It is modest both in size and venue but the annual Nottingham Tile Fair organised by the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society has an important place in the diary for collectors in this specialised field.

ATG’s weekly selection of items on sale at auctions and dealerships.

Not quite perfect but always likely to exceed the £300-350 estimate, a Lalique powder bowl was one of the top sellers at Bamfords’ (19.5% buyer’s premium) August 2 sale at Derby.