London

A fortuitously timed trip from a large group of top US interior decorators boosted sales at Battersea’s winter Decorative Fair.

The best-selling gallantry medal of 2023 was offered at Noonans late in the year on December 6. The Naval Victoria Cross awarded to Seaman James Gorman at the Battle of Inkerman sold for a hammer price of £320,000 (plus 24% buyer’s premium) and now forms part of a private collection of Crimean War medals.

Prior to its unification, what is now Argentina was comprised of over a dozen autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.

One of the great masterpieces of ancient Greek numismatic art, this silver tetradrachm was struck in c.460BC in commemoration of the refounding of the city of Naxos. Its citizens had been exiled to Leontinoi by the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse.

John Newton (1725-1807) is today perhaps best remembered as the writer of the hymn Amazing Grace. However, before his religious conversion he spent his early life as a slave trader.

This Iraq specimen banknote printed in India during the Second World War sold for £100,000 plus 24% buyer’s premium at Noonans on November 29-30. It was purchased by a lifetime collector or Iraqi banknotes at double the low estimate.

Nestled above The Decorative Fair, the London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair (LARTA) had a successful run with new and returning exhibitors reporting strong sales to trade and private buyers.

Among the images included in Emanuel von Baeyer’s latest catalogue is a study of a female nude by Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919).

Total sales across London coin and medals auctions were £61.6m in 2023, just a fraction down on 2022’s record aggregate

Daniel Eccleston, a retired well-to-do West Indian and American merchant based in Queen Street, Lancaster, planned to issue this halfpenny token in 1794.

A remarkable Canadian single-owner collection of coins of the East India Company was offered by Noonans on February 8-9, 2023.

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

The organiser of The London Antique Arms Fair had been searching for a new venue in which to hold the event throughout 2023.

Mithradates IV was ruler of the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus in northern Anatolia from 169-150BC. He ushered in a period of relative friendship with the Roman republic that would continue until his grandson Mithradates VI (the Great) became its most formidable and determined opponent. Mithradates IV’s coinage draws attention to his Persian and Greek origins.

Spink posted a house record for a classical coin when it sold this Julius Caesar and Octavian gold aureus on April 3 for £220,000 plus 20% buyer’s premium against an estimate of £60,000-100,000.

A Swiss gold coin that only appears at auction once every few years is the 1740 Basel triple ducat. To one face is a grand winged basilisk and to the other a view of the city from the east above eight coats of arms.

The Distinguished Flying Cross group of five given to Flt Lt Edward ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, who flew during Operation Chastise – the Dambusters – was sold for £105,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Spink on November 29.