South-east England

Dreweatts in Newbury has for sale this fine Victorian ‘weather station’ with a full provenance and a portrait of its former owner.

A substantial Victorian monocular microscope auctioned by Flints (25% buyer’s premium) dated 1858 and 1863 on the objectives was not only a good bit of kit with lots of accessories included but came signed with the owner’s name in several places.

A cache of material from descendants of the Starbuck family, a Quaker whaling family influential in both the abolitionist movement and the founding of Nantucket as a whaling centre, was the highlight of Catherine Southon’s sale on February 8.

A group of watercolours from the collection of the renowned botanist, entomologist William Curtis (1746-99), drew attention in a Surrey sale.

The Shanghai Jubilee Medal was instituted in 1893 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first British consul created after the Treaty of Nanking in 1843.

Kent auction house C&T has set up a US operation for militaria consignments.

Two organisers whose London events are on hold also run fairs outside the capital that are booming

Late 19th century Louis Vuitton Explorer trunks are a rare and desirable subset of vintage luggage.

In its earliest days flying was frequently lethal, in and out of combat.

Portrait of Lord Byron subject offered at Dreweatts auction demonstrates considerable skill of a British artist

Society portraits from the early part of the 20th century retain a good following at auction

A selection of militaria with solid Sussex interest appeared at Lewes saleroom Wallis & Wallis (22% buyer’s premium).

Numerous works by Henry Williamson including fascinating inscriptions and annotations were offered in Chichester saleroom

While London gun-makers featured heavily – and lucratively – at Gavin Gardiner’s (25% buyer’s premium) auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on December 14, provincial makers also got a look in.

Published by John Newbery c.1770, 'A Little Pretty Pocket Book…' and its companion 'Little Song Book' is a very small work indeed at little more than 3in (7.5cm) tall, but the latter includes some 54 woodcut illustrations and accompanying verses related to children’s games and pastimes.

The visit of ‘Revolutionary Wars’ hero Gilbert du Motler, the Marquis of Lafayette, to the US in 1824 spawned a large number of commemoratives.

English names from a defunct clock manufactory were used for familiarity in an export market

Bidders who missed out on a version of Gerald Summers’ 1933-34 plywood armchair sold for £20,000 as part of a collection of Simple Furniture at Lyon & Turnbull last October did not have too long to wait for another to appear for sale.

Top price at the Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) poster auction on January 6 came for a design that was a work of art in itself.