Auctions

Look out for . . .

Wrotham Park, Barnet: Garden statuary, architectural fittings, chimney pieces, mainly from four estates. Tuesday (12 noon). Christie's (071-839 9060).

NEW YORK and Geneva are heaving with gems and artworks this week. The London salerooms are dull. But at stately Nostell Priory, Wakefield, Yorkshire, tomorrow (11am-5pm), a Woosterish wheeze is being enacted in the form of a nobs' car boot sale. Owners of about 60 historic houses, hitherto famous for never throwing anything away, have instructed their Jeeveses to cram the Bentley with shabby but genteel bits and pieces. Sotheby's beady eye will ensure that no 50p Titians are to be had, but there should be plenty of posh junk at reasonable prices in aid of the National Asthma Campaign and the National Trust. Admission pounds 3.50, children pounds 1.80, includes entry to the Priory.

BRONZE AGE

Boy Scouts and a provocative Zach woman with a fencing foil are in Christie's South Kensington's second annual sale of 20th-century bronzes and sculpture, Thursday (2pm). Last July's 142-lot sale was 87 per cent sold. This year's sale, which includes animalier bronzes, is twice as big. Estimates from around pounds 150. Bonhams has less risque 19th- and 20th-century sculpture, Thursday (2pm).

MOZART LATEST

Haydn on Mozart, quoted by Mozart's father in 1785: '. . . your son is the greatest composer known to me'. Sotheby's estimates the letter at pounds 70,000- pounds 80,000 in its music sale Friday (10.30am).

FLINT HINT

Unabashed enthusiasts are still beating a path towards Sir William Russell Flint's alluring nudes, though print prices have been less reliable than water-colour originals in the past couple of years. Estimates at Bonhams Flint sale today (2pm): pounds 400- pounds 600 or more for prints, pounds 3,000- pounds 5,000 or so for originals. There are landscapes, too.

CASED IN

Furniture, like prints and Old Masters, is recycled back to the Continent via London auction rooms. Watch rich European dealers, egged on by cheap sterling, vie for the most expensive lots at Sotheby's sale of continental furniture, tapestries and carpets, Friday (10.30am).

COUNTRYWIDE

Crewkerne: Dolls and toys from a private collection. Estimates: pounds 10- pounds 1,000, Thursday (2pm), following 10am 500-lot sale of printed books, maps and manuscripts. Lawrence, South Street (0460 73041).

Dublin: Spring sale of some 150 lots of fine Irish paintings, drawings and books. Jack B Yeats's The Treasure of the Garden, hand- coloured by the author, is est Ir pounds 400- pounds 600. Christies Glasgow (041 332 8134).

Warrington: About 500 lots of mainly household goods: liquidated stock, police-recovered items, County Court and Inland Revenue goods, Thursday (10.30am). Littons, Guardian Street (0925 572199).

Guildford: Model train and car auction, Civic Hall, Wednesday (11.15am). Vectis (0983 292272).

Perth: More than 1,200 lots of collectables over two days. Sporting, militaria, musical and scientific instruments, coins, ephemera, Thursday (10.30am). Textiles, dolls, toys, games, commemorative china, enamel signs, Friday (10.30am). Loves, 52 Canal Street (0738 33337).

Sutton Coldfield: Collection of English drinking glasses dating from the 18th century and a collection of tortoiseshell, horn and mother-of-pearl boxes are among furniture, pictures, silver, jewellery, Wednesday (11am). Acres, 31 Coleshill Street (021 321 2101).

Bath: Specialist sale of musical instruments - string, woodwind and brass. A brass banjo is est pounds 1,400- pounds 1,800, Friday (1pm). Gardiner Houlgate, Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Road (0225 447933).

FAIRS

Today: South of England Postcard Fair, Twickenham rugby ground (last day, 10am-4.30pm). Michael Goldsmith (081-892 5712).

Today and tomorrow: Bath Contemporary Art at the International Festival. New sculpture at the Old Reference Library, Queen Square, until next Saturday (0491 410222).

Monday-Tuesday: Mammoth, Ingliston, Edinburgh (Four in One Promotions; 0533 773167).

Friday-Monday: Antique Dealers of Wales, Margan Park, Port Talbot (0202 604306).

Harlaxton Antiques, Harlaxton Manor, Grantham (Robert Bailey; 0277 362662).

Countrywide by Antiques Trade Gazette (071-930 4957) and Government Auction News (071-734 8291/4, hotline 0891 887700).