UK

An 18th century folio bible in mosaic binding was among the notable sales at the recent Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair.

It was on March 1, 1849 that Nathaniel Cook, the editor of the Illustrated London News, registered the design that would provide the ancient and cosmopolitan game of chess with its first standardised set.

A gold and cameo ring offered with an estimate of just £200-300 at Derbyshire auction house Irita Marriott (plus 28.8% buyer’s premium inc VAT) and catalogued as 19th century caught the eye of a number of jewellery dealers and bidders from as far as Paris and the US.

“Siege notes are a niche but popular subsidiary of military banknote collecting,” says Andrew Pattison, head of the Banknotes Department at Noonans (24% buyer’s premium).

Stephen Switzer (1682-1745), gardener, author, landscape designer and seedsman, was apprenticed in 1699 to George London, the senior partner of Brompton Park Nurseries.

Latest focus at London dealership is on the homeworkers who bought blanks to embellish with enamel

A Colchester dealer has warned the trade of the risk of van thefts after his own vehicle, containing his entire stock for a fair, was taken from his driveway.

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.

Result of select offering in London shows a healthy market which now even includes Asian bidders

In use at Ford as a blacksmith’s forge until the 1970s, these days it is known as Old Forge Antiques where you can find gents’ vintage clothes, antiquarian books and much more.

Flooding in the Waveney Valley features among a group of more than 50 paintings by Edward Seago (1910-74) on show at Portland Gallery this month.