Auction

ORIGINAL Dan Dare artwork - 144 lots of it - has its first dedicated auction at Christie's South Kensington on Wednesday (2pm). South Ken's first offering in March realised prices of up to pounds 650 for a single 'board' of artwork. And Fleetway, Dare's publisher, said it did not intend to contest copyright with collectors who hold hundreds of boards spirited out of the archives of the Eagle, the boys' paper in which Dare and his crew explored the galaxies between 1950 and 1966. The Dare auction catalogue, price pounds 6, contains character sketches of the main protagonists in the strip and will soon be a collector's item.

Also in South Kensington's busy week, Monday (10.30am): Thirties deco pottery by Charlotte Rhead. Tube-lined ware by Rhead (d1947) was famous, but she never became a trade personality. This sale, offered with Carlton ware and Poole pottery, is a market-tester. A Rhead crown Ducal single-handed vase is est pounds 150-pounds 200.

Pop memorabilia, also at South Kensington, Thursday (10.30am): John Lennon's December 1971 tax cheque for pounds 14,483 is est pounds 500-pounds 700.

Pop, film and theatre memorabilia at Phillips, Bayswater, Tuesday (12 noon): another Lennon tax cheque, this one for pounds 593. Estimate: a sky-high pounds 1,800-pounds 2,000.

COUNTRYWIDE

Abergavenny: First stirrings of the country house sale season with entire contents of Glen Trothy, Llanvetherine, in a marquee on the premises, next Friday and Saturday (10.30am). Ward & Morris (0981 240140).

Castle Donington: Receivership and liquidation sale of about 1,000 amusement machines, pool and snooker tables, vehicles, woodworking equipment, office furniture. Tuesday (9.30am). Walker Walton Hanson (0602 584631).

Guildford: Principal contents of a private Surrey residence, with other property: a collection of hats, architectural items, wines. Tuesday (10.30am), Bedford Road. Clarke Gammon (0483 66458).

High Wycombe: Entire contents and stock of a garden centre, tomorrow (10.30am). Wycombe Auction Centre, 373 Halifax Road, Cressex Industrial Estate (0494 474522).

Salisbury: About 200 lots of antique furniture, 230 lots of English and European ceramics, studio pottery and glass, Thursday (10am). Woolley and Wallis, Castle Street (0722 411422).

Lockhampton, near Cheltenham: Office furniture and equipment, bicycles, cars, commercial vehicles, Wednesday and Thursday (9am). David Foyle, Unit 5, Church Farm Business Centre, Church Road (0242 241111).

Ilkley: Grand pianos by Bechstein, Bluthner and Broadwood, gold and gemstone jewellery among 900 lots of antiques, Tuesday (1.30pm) and Wednesday (10am). Andrew Hartley, Victoria Hall, Little Lane (0943 816363).

Enfield: About 60 vehicles, forklifts, garage equipment, at the Borough of Enfield's Vehicle Workshops, Carterhatch Lane Depot, Wednesday (10am). Hawbery King (081-343 7373).

Selby: Big computer and office equipment sale, with motor bikes and household electrical goods, Wednesday (10.30am). Screetons Auction Centre, Holmes Lane (0430 431201).

FAIRS

Antiques and Staffordshire figures, Friday-Saturday, King Edward Hall, Lindfield, Sussex (Antiques in Britain Fairs; 0273 423355).

Ilkley Antiques. Friday to Monday inc, King's Hall, Ilkley (Bailey Antiques; 0277 362662).

Antiques, next Saturday-Sunday, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton (Unicorn Fairs; 098 987312).

Countrywide by Antiques Trade Gazette (071-930 4957) and Government Auction News (0686 668851/2, hotline 0891 687700).