East of England

Up till now antiques dealer Philip Crosthwaite has belonged to a happy band of dealers who run their online businesses from home.

Focus on two contrasting sculptures from the same era by Feuchere and Boehm sold in recent auctions

Lot offers US editions of two science-fiction and fantasy classics by the US writer

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

A rare Second World War helmet worn by members of a little-known unit of the UK home front comes for sale at Sworders on February 7.

Collectors of Staffordshire have noted a number of higher prices of late and further evidence of a more active market came when a pair of Victorian Staffordshire flatback figures was offered by Lacy, Scott & Knight (22.5% buyer’s premium).

Thought by the auction house to be an early copy, a letter that details the horrors of the ‘Black Hole of Calcutta’ in 1756 was sold for £2900.

A portrait of a noblewoman catalogued as by a follower of Frans Pourbus the Younger, dated 1615, emerged as one of the highlights at Cheffins (24.5% buyer’s premium) in Cambridge.

Antiques street markets have a vibe all their own. Jennifer Titmuss of Corky Events runs her monthly antiques and vintage markets in St Albans and Chiswick and both are doing well, with the St Albans event now in its fifth year and going strong.

This Thailand 10 Baht note appears to be a printer’s design that was unissued.

The Panini company, founded by two brothers in Modena in 1961, began life producing football cards of Serie A teams.

Since its first publication in 1908, Kenneth Grahame’s 'The Wind in the Willows' has appeared in various editions and reprints illustrated by nearly 50 artists.

Found by head of department Catriona Smith in a box of mixed jewellery, this rare 16th or 17th century gold ‘toadstone’ ring came for sale at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium).

An old family collection of Martin Brothers stonewares, assembled with purchases from the Southall potters in the late 19th and early 20th century, was offered in Cambridgeshire.

While the main paintings from the collection of dealer Sir Jack Baer and his wife Diana were sold at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) at the end of September (see ATG No 2564), a group of around 50 works on paper were held back and offered at the Stansted Mountfitchet saleroom’s latest Homes and Interiors online auction.

IACF calls time at north London venue and launches an event just to the north

Nomura was one of the biggest Japanese toy makers post-war and is now particularly renowned among collectors for mechanical toys such as robots.

When coming across a female artist who was once quite recognised but now is rather little known, buyers today automatically ask the question: ‘Is she undervalued?’

Among a number of sporting pictures generating decent interest at recent sales, this autumn Cheffins (24.5% buyer’s premium) posted the highest auction price for the hunting specialist Lionel Edwards (1878-1966) in over 12 years.

On account of its extraordinary appearance, the Nock seven-barrelled flintlock volley gun has become something of an icon of warfare in the Age of Sail.