Fair and square

Classic Art London, born from the ashes of London Art Week, puts a spotlight on pre-contemporary art with a whirlwind of exhibitions, talks and pieces that range from Titian to Edgar Degas and Paul Nash

British eccentricity at its best shone in a series of sales earlier this year that encompassed a fruitwood hand holding an apple, two puzzle pipes and an unusual wooden snuffbox inset with bone panels

Collectors who hunt new pieces must create space for them and others must downsize, which is why the past month saw two sales of distinguished possessions

Camels and souks , Jerusalem and Petra are once again capturing people’s imagination, as a crop of sales earlier in the spring demonstrates

The forthcoming Treasure House Fair lives up to its name, with pieces on offer including a flag flown by HMS Royal Sovereign at Trafalgar, a games compendium box made for Edward VII and a fairground carousel pig

Modern high streets are dotted with coffee chains, cafes and tea shops of all kinds, but in the late 19th century the tea shop was a groundbreaking innovation. A genteel alternative to bawdy pubs or t