What's New At Auction

It is very rare indeed that we have the chance to see the face of a sampler maker from the 1860s - but here is one such occasion. For auction at Brown & Co of Brigg on 26th June is is a very interesting collection of samplers, ceramics and photographs linked to Anna and Lucy Oldman. There is a sampler by Anna worked in 1869 at West Halton School depicting the fall of man (I am glad they got that right! - The thing is God told Adam not to eat the apple - Eve was kept in the dark and not told - but maybe we shouldn't get into blame right here...), two further alphabetic samplers, two gilt Christening mugs and a black and white photograph of one of the sisters. Lot number is 436 and the estimate is £150 to £250.

For sale at Christie's on 24 - 25 June 2010
in New York at Rockefeller Plaza is this fabulous set of items which includes a group of gold and silver embroidered velvet children's clothes from the 16th or 17th century.  The estimate is $600-$900 and the lot number is 540. How is it my children wore out their clothes so fast?