Virginia Blackburn

The painting from 1881 with a hidden treasure on the reverse stands out in an auction with no shortage of big-hitters

The best of British art, photography and design is showcased at this seismic London auction

Contemporary art meets the souk in this vibrant Shoreditch melting pot of multicultural cool

Auguste Rodin’s masterpiece L’Age d’Airain (The Age of Bronze) is just one of the artist’s seminal works in this stellar London sale

The Marlborough Fine Art show celebrates the work of the late artist, a pioneer of Britain’s abstract art movement

Showcased for the first time in 35 years at the National Gallery’s Monet and Architecture show and part of a prized family collection, Le Palais Ducal is expected to fetch up to £30m at the London sale

From a silver pencil in the shape of a sentry box to designs by Cartier, Mappin & Webb and Tiffany, this is a Woolley & Wallis auction to write home about

The Arts Club exhibition Let Me Tell You A Story gives a voice to artists – including a Turner Prize winner – wrestling with the universal concerns of love, war, gender and race

From an exceptional Bulgari diamond and ruby Serpenti watch to a Victorian sapphire necklace – find treasure at this sparkling event

Festive associations and collectable cachet create a sweet spot under the tree for these erstwhile vintage love tokens, says Virginia Blackburn

Estimated at $80m, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) could be the most expensive painting ever sold by a living artist

These midcentury shrines to cocktail hour are shaking up contemporary interiors with a hearty dash of decadence, says Virginia Blackburn

A prized portrait of Lord Lucan tops the lots at this seismic Bonhams sale – and the proceeds go to the charity Shelter

The fine line between beauty and the grotesque is brought to life in the artist’s latest London exhibition

From a world auction record-breaking commode to sofas based on designs by sculptor and designer Robert Adam – find the cream of Chippendale’s neoclassical work at this celebratory sale

…but meeting online for a lifestyle auction that’s tailor-made for the cool crowd

From Henry Moore to Damien Hirst, this hugely eclectic sale spans the 20th century to the current day

The pair’s tragic marriage is writ large in the many family treasures in this sale, which features rare pieces released by their daughter Frieda Hughes