Plymouth

At Frant there dwells a Man of fame. By trade a Tailor, Smart by name.

Queen Victoria gave many gifts to family, friends and servants, often commemorating notable events in her life.

Relatively few gallantry medals available for what was short self-contained conflict, heroic stories involving highly collectable regiments, a relatively morally unambiguous backstory (for British collectors at least)… the Falklands War can generate high demand at auction.

A study of a figure wearing a robe and turban drew a fierce bidding battle at Eldreds (25% buyer’s premium) in Plymouth at the end of last month.

When people think of the Newlyn School, most commonly it is pictures of Cornish fishermen, farmers and miners that spring to mind.

Among the most traditional of antiques, the William and Mary oyster veneered walnut chest of drawers remains a welcome visitor to the saleroom.

The Church of England was Geoffrey Garner’s vocation in life – collecting military badges his hobby

The Box, a museum, gallery and archive set to open in Plymouth in May, has acquired a ‘colossal and extraordinary grotesque grinning crab’ by the Martin Brothers.

Inspired by LS Lowry, the self-taught Mancunian artist Fred Yates (1922-2008) set out to paint pictures about the lives of ordinary people. These canvases – ranging from the industrial architecture and street life of Manchester to the sunnier scenes he painted after his move to Cornwall in 1969 – attract a loyal following on the secondary market.

In our continuing series looking through the keyhole of ‘bricks and mortar’ shops in 2017, ATG talks to John Cabello of Parade Antiques.