London

A sale held by Sotheby’s (26/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) to disperse natural history works from the library of Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven, contained a good many lots that brought six-figure bids, but the one featured here was one that proved a surprise.

Platinum jubilee excitement combined with an emotive back story and a royal connection to create the perfect conditions to sell an Elizabeth II brooch

Swaythling auction includes more than 80 pieces of 18th century English origin

Diamond tiaras continue to enjoy a steady revival in demand, particularly in states where a diamond fascinator is once again de rigueur at formal and informal high-society events.

The latest themed sale at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) was an auction titled India in Art, offering a mix of pictures and objects relating to the subcontinent.

The top-selling lots in the Swaythling collection sold at Christie's were paintings from a diverse range of genres and periods.

The TEFAF Maastricht fair opened with a raft of high-value sales last week.

Don’t forget to visit London’s shops and galleries when in town for the multi-dealer events

Portobello Road Market will return to Sunday trading this summer.

The contents of a small London museum devoted to Victorian poets Robert Browning (1812-89) and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-61) sold for just under £100,000 at auction in Essex.

The Chaworth Roll, a 14th century genealogy of the kings of England that includes the second-earliest recorded road map of the country, is on offer at TEFAF Maastricht this week.

Dramatic rescue of 1916 was recorded visually by the polar explorer two years later

Bid to £2800 via thesaleroom.com in a Forum Auctions (25/20/12.5% buyer’ premium) sale of May 5 was this seemingly very rare broadside published in London by James Catnach.

Cordelia Bourne is one half of Patrick Bourne & Co which takes part in London Art Week and Masterpiece this summer.

Whatever Mr Derbyshire, The Worthy Representative of Freedom Loving Great Britain was doing in the Caucasus in 1920, the Armenians of Karabach were obviously pretty pleased about it.

In May 2019 Spink (20% buyer’s premium) medal specialist Marcus Budgen was entrusted to catalogue the medals of Gunner A Howard, ‘N’ Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Artillery, one of just four members of the RA present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift in the Zulu War.

Long before Mirandinha, Faustino Asprilla and Nolberto Solano graced the hallowed turf of Newcastle United’s St James’ Park, two brothers paved the way for South American footballers to play professionally in England.