Judge it by the cover

From topless staddle stones outperforming complete ones to two versions of the same desk selling on the same day 212 miles apart, bizarre occurrences are par for the course at contents sales

PAINTING NOSTALGIA Artist Polly Mabel Nicolaou creates ...

Armigers from the Tudor and Stuart era had their moment last month, with a seal ring linked to Royal Exchange founder Sir Thomas Gresham and a ruffler once owned by philanthropist Sir Edwin Rich causing a stir at auction

William Blake, Samuel Palmer and Beatrix Potter all inspired Maurice Sendak, as demonstrated by a sale of his own drawings and those he collected

Shop of the month Bennison Fabrics, No 16, ...

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