West Sussex

Traditional high-society portrait by Sir Oswald Birley finds modern-day auction fans including an overseas buyer

A rare, candid autobiographical account by a soon-to-be-executed 18th century brickmaker has been bought by Horsham Museum.

In a sale that yielded quality and surprises in most sections, the major talking points at Stride & Son (18% buyer’s premium) were provided by two pieces of furniture. Emerging from the same house and given here-to-sell estimates, both achieved five-figure results.

Boss over-and-under guns from the golden age of London gunmaking have long ranked among the most sought by game shots.

Signed by the author and all members of the cast, the stage manager and the props manager, a 1943, Heinemann first of 'Present Laughter' was one of two Noel Coward plays that made up a lot sold for £1600 via thesaleroom.com in a Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) auction.

These Jacobite roundels carry the portraits of Charles Edward Stuart (1720-88) and his brother Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807).

Lucy Haywood runs her Country Brocantes in West Sussex, including the grounds of Parham House and at the Daylesford Organic Farm in Gloucestershire.

IACF’s Ardingly market was the final major fair held before the new lockdown began in England

Strong pre-sale interest emerged for two magnums of champagne offered separately at the Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) Sussex Interiors including Asian Works of Art, Wines & Spirits auction in Wisborough Green on October 20.

Henry Adams in West Sussex will hold The December Auctions Fine Wines & Spirits sale on December 17.

An extraordinary group of garden statuary, unseen for decades, was offered for sale recently at Summers Place Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

A pair of late oil landscapes by Silva Porto (1850-93), a pioneer of naturalism in Portugal whose works appear rarely outside his home country, drew multiple bids at Chichester saleroom Henry Adams (20% buyer’s premium).

Further pieces from English porcelain specialist’s collection are among highlights in Lewes.

Inscribed copies of the works of Dodie Smith were among the attractions of a summer sale held by Stride & Son (18% buyer’s premium) of Chichester.

Provenance of the Duke of Gloucester adds extra appeal to single-owner collection

The collection of pictures formerly owned by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, offered at Bellmans included 42 lots relating to the 10th Royal Hussars.

The buying crowd at IACF Ardingly was more local than usual but no less enthusiastic