2012

While the eyes of the world have been on the 2012 London Games, the Olympic influence did not leave the auction scene untouched.

The multitude of television shows devoted to antiques are rarely popular with the antiques trade as a whole – in a well-worn argument some credit them with the disintegration of the dealing community itself – but auctioneers are ready participants both for the publicity and the prospect of a decent consignment.

Every October for the past decade, the excitement whipped up by the arrival of ‘Frieze Art Fair’ in London has been the envy of many a fair organiser and the wider art world.

This Victorian silver stirrup cup will be offered at Charterhouse Auctions in Sherborne, Dorset on August 23-24.

One of the noted rarities among 19th century American firearms will be on offer in Lancashire on August 30 when Silverwoods of Clitheroe sell this John Walch Navy Model 12-shot percussion revolver.

Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ came to the block at just the right time for Sotheby’s when it set the record for anything ever sold at auction.

As fans of BBC Radio Four’s ‘The Archers’ fear for the show’s gentle, bucolic nature becoming “darker and bigger”, a set of ten scripts coming up for sale act as a reminder of the early days.

The highlight of Bellmans’ latest three-day sale at Wisborough Green, West Sussex was an impressive set of three George II tortoiseshell and silver tea caddies in a fitted silver-mounted tortoiseshell case.

Rupert Toovey of Toovey’s and Jeremy Lamond of Halls are bringing the auctioneering profession together in Oxford for a black tie gala dinner on Friday, September 21, followed by lectures the next day.

An interesting sporting gun found its way into Wallis & Wallis’s (17.5% buyer's premium) predominantly militaria sale in Lewes on June 12.

To most people air guns are the low-powered toys that little boys play about with in the back garden, but the air rifle has a surprisingly long history and at one time they were among the most feared weapons on the battlefield.

“My dear Caroline, The enclosed Ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your Uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you.”

“We had the idea of bringing speciality markets into the city before Mary Portas,” says Jackie Edwards, who runs two booming Sunday monthly markets in Winchester.

Made around 260 years ago, a rare English slipware press-moulded dish came undamaged from a Welsh Marches vendor into the Shrewsbury salerooms of Halls, lighting up the eyes of fine art director Jeremy Lamond whose specialty is ceramics.

The continuing strength of the Chinese market – both the seemingly endless supply of Chinese ceramics and works of art and the demand for them – has meant provincial auctioneers have had to become increasingly knowledgeable about what is on their doorstep.

While 19th century wheel, or banjo, barometers have not been the most sought after items at auction in recent times, 18th century stick barometers can still bring strong demand, as evidenced by the George III example pictured here.

Thomson Roddick Scottish Auctions will sell the collection of the late Andrew Elliott, a solicitor, plantsman and well-known patron of Scottish art who was involved in establishing the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh at their sale in the city on August 30.

A David Hockney (b.1937) print is the highlight of The Cotswold Auction Company’s sale in Cheltenham on August 29.

Burstow and Hewett of Battle in East Sussex will offer this landscape painting by Scottish artist Francis Cadell (1883-1937) on September 26.

The major Scottish sales series is already under way but Bonhams will offer their designated two-part sale later, starting on August 20 in Edinburgh.