An unusual provenance always adds interest to any item coming up for sale, and July's auction features two quite differing, but equally fascinating stories. One relates to the Lord Chancellor's Purse and Seal that belonged to Lord Eldon (1751-1838), and which was nearly lost in a misadventure (£2,000-5,000). In 1812, a fire started at Lord Eldon's house and he rushed into the garden with the Great Seal and buried it in a flower-bed. But, apparently, he was so distracted by the sight of all the young house maids rushing around in their nightdresses that he forgot where he had buried it and it took a day and a team of helpers to find it!

From more recent times, we have an autographed and inscribed catalogue by John Lennon and Yoko Ono (£25,000-30,000). It was given to a New York journalist named Sandra Shevey at the end of a marathon 12-hour interview Lennon and Yoko gave in 1972. This revealing interview laid the basis of a biography of John Lennon, 'The Other Side of Lennon' (pub. 1990).