LONDON, ENGLAND
 DRAWN AND QUARTERED On 3 May, Bonhams will auction off the controversial Tony Banks, Lord Stratford’s collection of 150 political portraits. When Banks commissioned Neil Simmons to create a statue of Margaret Thatcher, it was famously decapitated by an angry citizen. However, Dave Brown’s ink sketch of the sculpture (pictured) remains intact (est. €700–€1,000). Sir Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Henry Fox is expected to fetch €174,000–€261,000. www.bonhams.com  PARIS, FRANCE
CHINESE WHISPERS On 24 May, Tajan holds its Post-War and Contemporary Art auction concurrently with its Contemporary Chinese Art sale, reflecting the rapidly escalating interest in, and status of, contemporary Asian art. Along with prestigious works such as Jean Dubuffet’s L’itinéraire de Tourne-Lune (1955) and a 1972 bronze by Jóan Miro, artworks by high-profile Chinese artists like Wang Guangyi, Zhang Xiaogang and Li Shan will be auctioned off. www.tajan.com
 LONDON, ENGLAND A SPLASH OF COLOUR The finest private collection of Scottish colourists in a quarter-century comes to the market at the Scottish Art auction at Christie’s on 25 May. A group of four Scottish artists who travelled to France in the early 20th century, the colourists were profoundly influenced by post-impressionism and are credited with introducing modern art to Scotland. Highlights include Samuel John Peploe’s sumptuous still-life Red Chair and Tulips (pictured), expected to fetch €590,000– €885,000, and John Duncan Fergusson’s After Dinner, 1902 (est. €103,000–€147,500). www.christies.com
 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
BUYING TIME Watch auctions attained record highs in 2006, and Sotheby’s is hoping to continue the tradition on 15 May at its Important Watches sale. A selection of modern and vintage watches will be on offer, but the star of the show will be a rare 1935 white gold perpetual calendar moon-phase Breguet wristwatch with retrograde date (est. €92,600–€154,400). www.sothebys.com
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