Auctions

AFTER the season's big pictures, a gentle drift down market towards more affordable British pictures and collectables. The highest prices will be for golf memorabilia at the sporting sales. Sotheby's sporting sale in Canterbury on Monday (1pm) includes three Lonsdale belts consigned by Henry Cooper, the only boxer to win three. They are estimated pounds 25,000- pounds 35,000 (1936) and pounds 12,000- pounds 18,000 (1961 and 1964).

Phillips expects pounds 5,000- pounds 10,000 for a late 18th/early 19th-century lofting iron. The golf-only sale is at Chester, Tuesday (10.30am).

Sotheby's, Wednesday (10.30am), boasts a fine Gainsborough conversation piece, est pounds 1m, showing three gentlemen in tricorn hats in a wooded landscape, painted when the artist was in his early twenties. There is a confident array of sporting pictures. Sotheby's British drawings and watercolours sale has four Samuel Palmer watercolours, the two lowest estimates being pounds 10,000- pounds 15,000 each, the same as for a Hollar watercolour of Tangier of 1669. Sotheby's marine picture sale is Friday (10.30am).

Christie's British picture sale, Tuesday (2.30pm), has two watercolour portraits by Richard Dadd of his benefactor, Sir Thomas Phillips, painted on their trip to the Middle East from which Dadd returned insane: ests pounds 20,000- pounds 30,000 and pounds 15,000- pounds 25,000. Christie's also has, in its sale of topographical pictures, Friday (10.30am), more than 100 newly discovered drawings by the explorer Sir Richard Burton, ests pounds 200- pounds 3,000.

MAXWELL MILLINERY

Mrs Robert Maxwell has consigned 45 of her hats to the Christie's South Kensington costume sale, Tuesday (2pm). Typical est pounds 100- pounds 150. Also at South Ken: toys, dolls and teddies, Thursday (2pm).

COUNTRYWIDE

Hull: More than 200 new cycles and warehouse equipment, Thursday (11am) at Gilbert Baitson, the Edwardian Auction Galleries, Wiltshire Road (0482 500500).

St Peter Port, Guernsey: Jewellery, silver, clocks, paintings, Tuesday (2pm). Hamptons Martel Maides, Allez Street (0481 722700).

Redditch: Police-recovered and household goods, Tuesday (6pm). Arrow Auctions, Bartleet Road, Washford (0527 517707).

Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny: A local estate and part-contents of a convent: furniture, paintings, church fittings, taxidermy, wine and spirits, Tuesday and Wednesday. Mealy's, Chatsworth Street (010 353 564 1229/1413).

Leek: Mostly unreserved Victorian jewellery, silver, collectables, next Saturday (1pm). Daniel & Hulme, 66 Derby Street (0538 383339).

Dewsbury: Ex-catalogue returns, furniture, police-recovered goods, tools, Tuesday (1.30pm). Dewsbury Auctions, 629 Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe (0924 461210).

Leamington Spa: Contents of local estates: furniture, carpets, silver, paintings, toys, Thursday (11am). Black Horse Agencies Locke and England, Walton House, 11 The Parade (0926 889100).

Warrington: Office furniture and equipment, Tuesday (10.30am). Littons, Guardian Street (0925 572199).

FAIRS

Shepton Mallet: Royal Bath and West Showground today and tomorrow: 450 stands. Merlin Fairs (0272 401142).

Newton Abbot: Giant Antiques and Collectors, Wednesday at racecourse: 150 stands (0225 424677).

Park Lane Hotel, London: Decorative Arts and Antiques, tomorrow and Monday (071-603 0380).

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

Look out for . . .

Nottingham: 2,000 lots, household and electrical goods, nursery stock, small plant, garden and office equipment, vehicles, next Saturday (9.30am). Arthur Johnson & Sons, Cattle Market, Meadow Lane (0602 869128).