East of England

It’s always good to hear about the opening of a new antiques centre. Essex businessman Ken Hewitt has seized an opportunity to launch his venture in the medieval town of Manningtree, described by the local tourist association as “a gateway to Constable country”.

'Elements of Foliate Heads' will be instantly familiar to fans of John Piper (1903-92), despite the fact that the picture has not been on the market for more than half a century.

The most desirable of all sealed bottles are those that are both named and dated. It is the possibility for geneaological research that fires many collectors.

Just as fine English mahogany is selling below par, Chinese furniture, particularly in the desirable huanghuali hardwood, is booming.

Organisers launch new fair in Suffolk after long-standing event had to be abandoned.

Part of the intake for a general sale, a terracotta sculpture by a protégé of Antonio Canova sold for £21,000 (plus premium) at Reeman Dansie in Colchester.

Two albums of 19th century watercolours and drawings produced unexpected results in summer sales.

James and Jessica Rawlin of J&J Rawlin specialise in Modern British art and contemporary British ceramics. They are based in rural Suffolk. Here, James talks about their business and how they started it.

Pairs of Georgian candlesticks by the best-known London specialist makers such as William Cafe and Ebenezer Coker continue to sell well enough, as long as condition is acceptable.

Celebrating 10 years of sales at Sworders’ (23% buyer’s premium) custom-built auction house (the firm has actually been going since 1782), chairman Guy Schooling was in a justifiably buoyant mood.

In terms of lot numbers, the major single contribution to Sworders’ anniversary sale (see main Auction Reports this edition) on June 19-20 was the estate of the late Annabelle Comery, an inveterate and wealthy collector who had lived on Alderney in the Channel Islands.

Issued by ‘Hunt & Sons, Card Makers to His Majesty’, a ‘Great Mogul’ deck of playing cards of c.1830, the labels that seal the packaging still unbroken after all those years, featured in a recent Suffolk sale.

Salvage dealers are increasingly bringing smaller decorative items to the Knebworth Park fair.