South-west England

This otherwise mundane late 18th century fiddle pattern silver dessert spoon is from Lord Nelson’s first personal service.

By the end of the First World War it has been estimated that over eight million horses had died.

Although now long forgotten, the London family firm of Nixey’s was a household name in the second half of the 19th century

Bringing international interest to a Dorset auction, a limited edition Pierre Soulages (b.1919) print generated a strong bidding contest

Works by Mr Brainwash (b.1966) are becoming an increasingly common sight at auction.

A pair of militaria highlights related to Irish regiments that came up in recent auctions.

The auction at Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium) on December 15 included two presentation first editions by Sylvia Plath.

One of the most local consignments provided arguably the most notable lot at a Busby (21% buyer’s premium) sale in Bridport, Dorset, on November 17.

A December 6 auction in Exeter was dominated by a lot estimated at just £40-60 but sold instead at £24,000.

Among the most eagerly contested lots in a sale of vintage posters was a set of three unrestored advertising posters by the Tuscany-born, Paris-based Leonetto Cappiello (1875-1942).

Macclesfield and Liverpool auction house Adam Partridge has expanded its operation into the south-east and south-west of England with the purchase of two existing salerooms.

Carved c.1880 and acquired in Shanghai during the 1930s, the opal cameo shown here was the choice of pre-Christmas jewellery offered in a Somerset sale.

Another slice of the collection which brought a Christopher Wood record comes up in Gloucestershire saleroom

Collectors of Staffordshire have noted a number of higher prices of late and further evidence of a more active market came when a pair of Victorian Staffordshire flatback figures was offered by Lacy, Scott & Knight (22.5% buyer’s premium).

The Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue (Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces) series was the last great landscape work created by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).

The sale at Kinghams (23% buyer’s premium) in Moreton-in-Marsh included a 12in (30cm) carved cinnabar lacquer dish dating from the late Yuan or early Ming period – c.1350-1400.

A large reticulated ‘dragon and phoenix’ censer came for sale at Mallams’ (25% buyer’s premium) in Cheltenham from a Herefordshire vendor whose family had lived in Shanghai in the 1930s.

A small and recently discovered painting by Peter Lanyon (1918-64) emerged at Kinghams’ (23% buyer’s premium).