The Russian Art Sale coming up at Christie’s includes some wonderful Folk Art paintings in pencil and Gouache by primitive Ukranian artist Maria Prymachenko (1909 -1997), whose work is becoming increasingly collectable. These brightly coloured images date from the around 1940 have been owned by the same family since that time.

A postcard allegedly from the most infamous and grisly serial killers of our time, Jack the Ripper, went under the hammer on 30th April 2018 and fetched a staggering price, way above it's estimate.

Considering how short a time the Suffragettes’ campaigned for Votes for Women, it is amazing how much memorabilia there is on the antiques market. Not only items produced by the movement itself, but commercially produced items showing support, showing contempt or – as with some of the German toys produced during this period – a sense of the amused observer.

As a desk lamp collector, conserver, restorer and retailer, my favourite lamps have to be those made by the German company Kaiser, in particular those designed by Christian Dell - by Jez Speed.

As you know, here at VE, we are always interested in the unexpected, the curious and the quirky. And the cute Japanese dolls known as Kokeshi turn out to be more unexpected, curious and quirky than you might have imagined. So gather round and let me tell you a story...