Kent

At many garden centres the array of what’s for sale other than plants and pots includes furniture, firepits, and fleeces – and in an imaginative retail move, some offer antiques and antique fairs.

This Doll et Cie four-seater open touring car toy, c.1920s, is a live-steam model made in Germany.

After just three weeks of trading in July at their newly opened showroom in the Grade II-listed Corn Exchange in Tunbridge Wells, dealers Chrissie and John Masters of the Design Gallery have made brisk sales to new customers for their Art Deco pieces.

A recent sale at Bentley’s (19% buyer’s premium) in Cranbrook, Kent included a rare US Presidential lifesaving medallion.

Once the humble playthings of boys the world over, airguns now attract a keen collector following.

Decorative arts specialist Eric Knowles has become a dealer and teamed up with others in the trade to launch a new emporium in Kent.

Karen and Paul Rennie of Rennies Seaside Modern in Folkestone are well-known collector/dealers in Modern British design.

B2B Events is off to Kent again with the second antiques and vintage market this year running on Saturday and Sunday, June 19-20.

A former Victorian picture house in the Kent town of Herne Bay which now serves as an antique furniture and collectables centre was pulled from auction last month.

The Annie Marchant (‘Breadboard Annie’) collection of domestic and country antiques offered in Kent on April 12-13 produced many strong prices.

Chrissie and John Masters of The Design Gallery in Kent are offering this fine Art Deco sideboard by Hille at their showroom sale in Edenbridge from April 23-25.

A Second World War beret sold at a Kent auction was not only one of the famous maroon British paratrooper examples but had star billing of its own.

An abstract painting by Aubrey Williams (1926-90) offered at Grand Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Folkestone at the end of last year set another auction high for the Guyanese artist.

Baker rifle stands out in Kent saleroom.

Furnished dolls’ houses and accessories in general are proving the most dynamic area of the collecting market

A Dinky Supertoys 935 Leyland Octopus flat truck with chains in its original box sold for £8200 at Kent saleroom C&T (22% buyer’s premium) on January 14.

The strong level of prices being paid by collectors for dolls’ house furniture was underlined at a recent C&T sale.

This pair of life-size bronze busts depict the tragic young figures Publius Septimus Geta, son of emperor Septimus Severus, and his sister-in-law Plautilla.