Allum's Antiques Almanac 2016

Book excerpt: From BBC Antiques Roadshow specialist and author Marc Allum comes the second instalment of his annual almanac, revealing the current news, tall tales and tasty titbits from the year in art, antiques and collectables: What do London Bridge and a £40,000 corkscrew have in common? Which famous pop star depicted by Andy Warhol realised £51.6 million at a recent auction? How much did Oliver Cromwell’s coffin plate sell for, and what happened to his famous wart? Which Hollywood film led to the recovery of a Hungarian avant garde masterpiece? What would a collector pay for the real Batmobile? Why did a tiny portrait of Mozart - only four centimetres high - sell for £218,500? Answers to these and many other fascinating questions make this the essential guide this autumn for all ardent fans of art, antiques and collectables.