London

A London auction offering ceramics fans a treat thanks to single-owner collections and a mixed array leads a look at the market as a whole

Though prolific in many mediums, Pablo Picasso created silver platters in only 24 designs throughout his entire career, creating an even smaller number of pieces in gold.

A significant collection of Ian Fleming’s books, typescripts and assorted autograph material raised close on £1m at Sotheby’s.

Closing the year in some style, a patinated and parcel gilt bronze ‘double size’ figure of St George set a new auction record for Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) at Bonhams.

A handwritten account of the battle of Rorke’s Drift by Lt John Chard of the Royal Engineers, who led the renowned stand against the Zulu attack, sold for a hammer price of £140,000.

'Coming Home from the Marshes', 1886, by pioneering photographer PH Emerson (1856-1936) in his series 'Life and Landscape on the Norfolk Broads', is among the works offered in a solo show on the artist at London’s Michael Hoppen Gallery until the end of this month.

This 1928 ink and watercolour of stained glass for Stockton on the Forest in North Yorkshire is offered at Abbott and Holder for £350.

A Chinese export reverse painted mirror plate in a carved George III frame is one of the highlights at the 'Mayfair Antiques and Fine Art Fair'.

‘Tis the season to indulge and give a little back and at James Hyman Gallery’s online charity sale you can do both.

An array of affordable alternatives to the blue-chip names in Modern British art generated strong bidding at Roseberys' (25% buyer’s premium) auction.

A group of works by the elusive Austrian émigré artist Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (1906-96) made a rare appearance at Chiswick Auctions’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest British & European Fine Art sale.

A 1930s kilim hand-made in the Antalya region is offered for £2500 at Phil Taylor’s Cool Stuff’s New Year exhibition of Turkish rugs and pottery.

A rare complete copy of a famous Arabic medical text sold for £30,000 in a sale of manuscripts and other works on paper from the Islamic and Near Eastern worlds.

A spate of thefts from central London shops has put the antiquarian book trade on high alert.

Clothes, letters and photographs of the last queen of Madagascar are to return home after the Madagascan government bought the collection at a south London auction.