Sotheby’s London to sell royal and aristocratic heirlooms

On 23 January 2014, Sotheby’s London will present Of Royal and Noble Descent, a sale featuring royal and aristocratic heirlooms from important European dynasties. 

The sale comprises a suitably eclectic collection of items says Heinrich Graf von Spreti, President Sotheby’s Germany: ‘Having survived through inheritance, these treasures from palaces and historic houses have never been seen by the general public and their appearance at auction offers a unique opportunity for discerning collectors to acquire them.’

King's Cross Square to open fully in September

The £550m redevelopment of London’s King's Cross station is entering its final stage, with the completion of the 25,000sq ft public space outside it.

The BBC reports that King's Cross Square, which will include an area dedicated to public art, will open fully next month.

Russian artworks hit new heights at Christie’s

The strength of Russian art as an investment has been underlined once again with Christie’s achieving a record price for The Coachman by Boris Kustodiev.

The work was painted in 1923 and was formerly in the collection of Noble Prize winner and friend of the artist Peter Kapitza (1894-1984). 

Viking swords top the list at Bonhams’ sale

A fearsome array of swords from the Medieval period and earlier, including Viking weapons, form the main thrust of Bonhams’ sale of antique arms and armour on 28 November in London’s Knightsbridge.

David Williams, director of arms and armour at Bonhams, said: ‘Many of these rare and remarkable weapons would have been used in battle. The scarring and damage goes some way to confirm this, though the years have also taken their toll.’

Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition at the British Museum

In Spring 2013 the British Museum will present a major exhibition on the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, sponsored by Goldman Sachs. 

This exhibition will be the first ever held on the cities at the British Museum and the first such major exhibition in London for almost 40 years. 

Six unusual war memorials in London

With Remembrance Day around the corner visitors to London will find many war memorials on the city’s streets and within its parks. Here are six of the most unexpected and dramatic.

Imperial Camel Corps Memorial, Victoria Embankment, EC4
Surprisingly diminutive, this 1921 memorial features a soldier of the Camel Corps atop his trusty steed.

Or not, perhaps; the unit was mounted exclusively on male camels which, though harder to control and more grumpy than females, were somewhat cheaper to buy.

CityJet announces Nuremberg flights from London City Airport

From 27 January 2013 CityJet will be flying to the historic German city of Nuremberg from London City Airport. 

The year-round service will operate two flights weekdays and one on Sundays.

Christmas at London’s Burlington Arcade

Actor Bill Nighy will switch on the Christmas Lights at London’s Burlington Arcade on 22 November.

Resident retailers will be offering Christmas shoppers a wide variety of British luxury brands.

Bonhams to auction German enigma machine

Auction house Bonhams is scheduled to put a German enigma enciphering machine under the hammer for the first time on 14 November in London.

The machine, which is estimated to sell for between £40,000 and £60,000, was built in 1941 and was used by German forces during World War II. 

Top cigar bars in London

With winter closing in on London, the appeal of the city’s cigar bars becomes all the more defined. Here are four of the latest openings.

The Edward Sahakian Cigar Shop and Sampling Lounge can be found within the precincts of the Bulgari Hotel and Residences in Knightsbridge.

Bosideng opens flagship London store

Chinese super-brand Bosideng recently opened its first oversees store on London’s South Molton Street.

Set over three floors, the store showcases the 500-piece Bosideng London collection that has been created for the UK market by designers Nick Holland and Ash Gangotra.

Light relief: a cigar tour of London

Cigar smoking, as any aficionado knows, is very much a matter of taste. Few people know that better than Edward Sahakian who, for more than 30 years, has run the famous Davidoff store on in London’s historic St James’s district.

‘Every cigar has a time and a place,’ he says. ‘I’d smoke something different on a cold, wet day in London, for example, than I would on a warm afternoon in Havana – with a Mohito.’

Given that Sahakian’s shop contains at least 220 different cigars – at the last count – that’s plenty for his customers to be getting on with. And many of them, like him, like few things in life quite as much as a good cigar.

‘I’d say the process of enjoyment all starts when you open the box,’ adds Sahakian. ‘There could be 10 or 20 cigars in there, but one of them will catch your eye. That’s where the attraction all starts.’

London prepares for the Olympic Games

Architects are not always overly complimentary of their fellow professionals’ work, so it perhaps says much for Zaha Hadid’s Olympics Aquatic Centre (above) that it has almost without exception impressed the men and women of her profession.

British architect Amanda Levet, a winner of the UK’s prestigious RIBA Stirling prize, is but one example. ‘Without question, the Aquatics Centre is the star building,’ she says. ‘It is a spectacular expression of its sport, resolved in its form and beautifully detailed.’

With its undulating roof reminiscent of a wave and sinuous, aquatic lines, Hadid’s creation is one of the most memorable sights of the Olympic Park that has been created in east London to host the games of the XXX Olympiad.

A year at the Royal Hospital Chelsea

Prince Harry meets the veterans

Chelsea Pensioners are a feature of London. These smartly turned out gentlemen (and a few ladies, nowadays) in their red or blue jackets are as much an icon of the UK capital as the Palace of Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral or black taxis.

Until recently, photographer Patricia Rodwell was like almost every other Londoner – generally aware the Pensioners existed, but with no clear idea of their day-to-day lives.

A chance meeting with the governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, however, sparked her interest in the place and its residents. She resolved to use her camera to record the progress of a year at an institution that can trace its roots back to 1682 and the reign of King Charles II.

A London ghost walk: Smithfield and Farringdon

Watch out for padding monks

This London ghost walk brings together medieval monks, a headless duke and a phantom dog, among others.

It begins at Faringdon Underground station. At the entrance, turn left and follow Cowcross Street uphill. Soon you reach the junction with St John Street, the buildings of Smithfield market to the right.

Cross into Charterhouse Street, passing the ornate façade of the Fox and Anchor pub, with its two grinning leopards.

Review: Dickens and London at the Museum of London

The new Dickens and London exhibition at the Museum of London explores the life and works of the great 19th-century novelist against the backdrop of the city that inspired him.

This fascinating show runs until 10 June 2012 and forms part of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birth.

A visit to the exhibition is an atmospheric experience. Throughout, the ambience is one reminiscent of gaslit streets, moonlight or shadows – the type of backdrop against which one could easily imagine a Dickensian scene being played out.

As they enter, visitors are met with three giant screens that flick from scene to scene of Victorian London, showing not only how busy the place was, but also the wide variety of people who made a living within it.

Controversial figures excel in Bonhams’ arms and armour sale

A sword and pistols belonging to two swashbuckling 19th-century military men achieved impressive prices at leading London auction house Bonhams last week.

A Lloyds Patriotic sword awarded to Captain Arthur Farquhar (RN) was sold for £79,250 and a set of duelling pistols once owned by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Thornton achieved £67,250.

David Williams, director of antique arms and armour at Bonhams, said: ‘The market [for arms and armour] remains buoyant with interest coming from round the world for what was an outstanding collection of material. Interest in collecting antique arms and militaria continues to grow.’

Farquhar, was commander of HMS Acheron, but lost his ship and 67-man crew to a much larger French man of war after an encounter off Malta, while he was protecting a convoy of merchant ships.