The tribal art and antiquities sale at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury on February 19 includes a 8in (20cm) Yoruba Ijebu bronze hand bell or omo.
Each Yoruba chief had a face bell cast, which was later worn by his son draped over the right shoulder. This example has the double crescent to the forehead and scarifications from the mouth: symbols of the Oshugbo secret society that is prominent in the Ijebu region.
Last sold in Amsterdam in 2002, the estimate is £8000-12,000.
woolleyandwallis.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
An Omega Speedmaster 145022-68 ST to be auctioned by Gardiner Houlgate in Corsham, near Bath, on February 19 was among those presented to VIPs by the crew of Apollo 11 as they toured the world following their historic first moon landing.
During what was called the ‘Giant Leap’ goodwill tour this watch was given to the Shah of Iran who later gave it to his half-sister, Princess Fatemeh Pahlavi (1928-87), sometime before the 1979 Revolution.
It comes for sale from Robin White, a pilot who spent time in Iran training military personnel to fly. Among his pupils was Fatemeh Pahlavi who became the first Iranian woman to fly a helicopter.
David Hare, director and auctioneer at Gardiner Houlgate, said: “As regifting goes, this watch is something quite special. It’s in lovely condition and having been associated with the moon astronauts and the Shah of Iran, we anticipate it could fetch as much as £15,000.”
gardinerhoulgate.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
A five-volume deluxe first edition of Les Arts au Moyen Age by Alexandre du Sommerard (1779-1842) goes under the hammer at Keys in Aylsham, Norfolk, on February 13-14 with an estimate of £8000-10,000.
Published between 1838-46, the work gives a general overview of medieval art and architectural history, illustrated with 618 lithograph and chromolithograph plates, 512 of which are hand-coloured. This elephant folio-size edition is bound by John Wright of London in full-gilt morocco with marbled endpapers.
Du Sommerand’s own collection found a permanent home in 1832 at the Abbés de Cluny in Paris, home of the Musée de Cluny.
