Mallams

Rediscovered books and manuscripts that once belonged to former antiquarian book dealer John Percival Love and had been stored away in a bank vault for nearly 50 years captivated collectors and the trade alike at auction.

Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) got off to an early New Year start with a Country House auction.

Jane Bond (b.1939), a costume designer for stage, television and films, started painting portraits especially from the early 1980s onward.

This Jin dynasty Cizhou-type double gourd vase comes for sale at Mallams in Cheltenham on November 8 with an estimate of £2000-3000.

A couple of cat pictures made bidders’ whiskers twitch of late.

A lucernal microscope is a rare survivor.

A group of Victorian rowing memorabilia generated plenty of bidding at Claydon Auctioneers (19.5% buyer’s premium) in Buckinghamshire on June 25-26.

More than 70 lots of paintings, works on paper and antiques assembled by the well-known auctioneer and collector Paul Whitfield (1942- 2018) went under the hammer at Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) in Oxford on May 17.

The Qing hexagonal form blue and white jardinière shown here is a type used to grow flowers or bonsai at the Qing court.

The professional goldsmith and jewellery designer was not the first woman in such a role but received significant prominence in the Victorian era under her own name

Mallams regained the record for a pot by Jennifer Lee (b.1956) on May 18 when a large asymmetrical vessel from c.1990 sold at £40,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium).

This untitled work from c.1945 by Ben Nicholson (1894-1982) comprises a mahogany relief applied with oil paint. It was offered at Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) of Oxford on May 17-18 as part of its Modern Art & Design sale.

In a style admired in the gardens at Versailles and at a House & Garden sale in Abingdon, a pair of urns after those created for Louis XIV’s great project led the field at Mallams (25% buyer’s premium).

This special edition of A Japanese Collection (1898) by Michael Tomkinson (1841-1921) is one of the first 25 copies printed on Indian paper and is signed and dedicated by the author to his daughter Dora.

The Asian & Islamic Art sale at Mallams in Cheltenham on May 24 includes items from the collection of auctioneer Paul Whitfield (1942–2018).

French artist Louis Tesson (1820-70) is best known for his genre paintings in the Middle East and north Africa.

A flurry of bids emerged at Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) in Oxford for a particularly fine 17th century portrait of a young woman.

Early example note from Sir Christopher Wren issue takes group lot to high four figure price