East of England

A former PE teacher who quit his job to sell antiques full time has started a pop-up shop in the magnificent Art Nouveau-inspired Royal Arcade in Norwich.

This chromolithographed plate is one of 52 (of 55) included in a copy of Dickinson’s Comprehensive Pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Thompson’s Galleries, specialist in Modern and Contemporary British art, is opening a third exhibition space this October.

It was in the wake of the Great Fire of London in 1666 that the first societies were created to protect against the losses caused by fire.

The third edition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was the last of those published in 1843, coming out (appropriately) on Christmas Eve.

A section of wood taken from the tree where Stanley met Livingstone in 1871 sold at Sworders’ September 14-15 Fine Interiors sale for £2400.

A reopened museum and a steady run of appearances on TV have boosted sales at two Cambridge centres.

Coming to Cheffins’ October 21 auction directly from the library of the Hertfordshire estate, Julians Park, the home of society hostess Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie, is a collection of 70 of the principal books.

Anita Morgan, co-owner of The Hive in Cambridge, is an antique tile specialist and stands at the small annual niche tile fair in Nottingham organised by the Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society (TACS), which was held this year on October 2.

Yvonne and Andy Carter are Past Pastiche, organisers of small monthly antiques, vintage and collector’ fairs.

An auction record for John Aldridge (1905-83) was set at Lacy Scott & Knight (22.5% buyer’s premium) when a crisply painted still-life drew the attention of six phone bidders.

Ian Grutchfield is venue director of Hadleigh Old School, a new art space in Suffolk.

To mark its 130th year in business, long-running antiques and decorative arts specialist John Bly has launched a new venture.

Jennifer Titmuss, organiser of the St Albans Antiques and Vintage Market and the Chiswick High Road Antiques and Vintage Market has an upbeat update.

A painted wooden shop sign that hung for many years from a store in Norwich sold at Norfolk’s newest auction house.

Ticket requests are up as the East of England Showground prepares for the biannual antiques festival.

The success of the 18-year old monthly Hingham Antiques Fair in Norfolk has meant a move for the fair to a larger venue.

This near-complete Böttger Meissen tea set, c.1725, came for sale at Keys of Aylsham on September 1.