South-west England

Strong bidding emerged at Lawrences (25% buyer’s premium) of Crewkerne for a Swedish portrait of Ellen Wester (1873-1930), a pioneering female translator and journalist.

Simon Lamb of The Swan Gallery in Sherborne works with his wife Kristina and their son Chris specialising in oil paintings and watercolours 1800-1950, along with antique prints and early maps.

Recognised as the ‘Father of Geology’, in 1815 William Smith was the first to map the geology of England and Wales, with part of southern Scotland.

Medal group sold for £43,000 at a Devon sale recognised the bravery of a medic who cared for others

“It was no surprise that a single-owner sale of noble provenance and with royal connections was such a success”, said Thomas Jenner-Fust.

When it comes to the portraits of the Swiss artist Firmin Massot (1766- 1849), it tends to be depictions of young female sitters shown either full length of ‘jusqu’aux genoux’ (as far as the knees) – a format he often favoured – that attract the most attention commercially.

Archive sold in Somerset and bugle offered in Dorset reflect the first organised cycling clubs

Letters and postcard written by Antarctic expedition members were sent to New Zealand host family

Oil on canvas showing favoured subject of the artist takes top spot so far in UK sales outside London

This impressive clock featured in the sale held by Dorset firm Busby (25% buyer’s premium) on April 18.

The Art & Design post 1880 sale at Duke’s in Dorchester on April 25 included 44 lots of William De Morgan tiles consigned by descendants of Arthur James Balfour (1848-1930), Earl of Balfour and prime minister from 1902-05. He is understood to have bought them directly from De Morgan in Fulham.

The nursery rhyme 'Rain, rain go away' could be the response after the UK experienced in the past 18 months the fourth-wettest period since records began.

Found in a country house in Gloucestershire, this letter written by Lord Byron (1788-1824) to Major John Cartwright (1740-1824) sold for £6000 at Chorley’s (28.2% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on March 20.

The well-known miniature portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh by Nicholas Hilliard (c.1547-1619) in the National Portrait Gallery was painted c.1585, the year after Raleigh was knighted.

Following the major sum for a rare picture painted in India by Arthur William Devis (1762-1822) at Gorringe’s, another work by the artist flew over estimate a fortnight later in Devon.

Pictured here are two lots of seat furniture that impressed bidders in recent auctions in Gloucestershire and Cheshire.

Russian porcelain is still in demand, especially those early Soviet-era pieces from the years following the Revolution.