Collectables

The term ‘collectables’ (or collectibles) encompasses a vast range of items in fields as diverse as arms, armour and militaria, bank notes, cameras, coins, entertainment and sporting memorabilia, stamps, taxidermy, wines and writing equipment.

Some collectables are antiques, others are classed as retro, vintage or curios but all are of value to the collector. In any of these fields, buyers seek out rarities and items with specific associations.


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Chests from four centuries apart

20 June 2022

These two oak boarded chests, made to similar techniques four centuries apart, were offered for sale recently.

Silver casket with Dr Anna Groundwater

Mary, Queen of Scots silver casket sold to Scottish museum for £1.8m

24 May 2022

A casket believed to have once belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots has been bought by the National Museum of Scotland with help from donors and art funds.

Baccarat tantalus

Trunk and drunk at the same time for a party

16 May 2022

This remarkable Baccarat tantalus in the form of an elephant and howdah sold at Can$120,000 (£75,000) at an auction in Victoria, British Columbia.

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Comics sale was a knock-out success

16 May 2022

The six lots described here are drawn from a hugely successful sale of comics and comic art held in Dallas by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) over four days, from April 7-10.

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Koppitz dancers show the right moves

09 May 2022

'Bewegungsstudie', or ‘Study of Movement’, by Rudolf Koppitz, is the most famous of six tipped-in photogravures, each with a protective glassine sheet, that make up Pictures from the Tyng Collection, a 1931 publication of the Royal Photographic Society.

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The web shop window: 1940s railway sign

02 May 2022

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

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Car badges make a statement at auction

02 May 2022

Charterhouse (25% buyer’s premium) has been holding auctions of classic cars, motorcycles and automobilia for nearly 20 years.

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ATG letter: Cost restriction meant not so mighty mouse

25 April 2022

Re: your article in ATG No 2538 (A Trio of Arts & Crafts designers in focus) including a Mouseman oak blanket chest sold at Sheffield Auction Gallery for £12,000 hammer, which features the mouse carved in recess rather than profile.

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Collector Interview: Raise a glass to breweriana

04 April 2022

A passion that began with a single tray acquired on a football away day pub visit has led to the creation of a breweriana museum

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Frank Bellamy Eagle artwork flies highest to beat Buster and Dandy

28 March 2022

Billed as the star lot in a sale that ended on February 27, a scarce copy of the 1937 first issue of Dandy made a high-estimate £3450.

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Devlin musical box back at auction

28 March 2022

This parcel gilt musical box decorated with a frieze of figures is by Stuart Devlin (London 1975).

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Strike two for Sampson & Mordan vesta cases

28 March 2022

The Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu sale at Dix Noonan Webb (25% buyer’s premium) in London on March 15 included more fine silver and enamel vesta cases by Sampson Mordan & Co to add to those sold by the firm in September 2021.

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Ecclesiastical Mouseman commissions emerge at Northumberland sale

07 March 2022

Ecclesiastical commissions are integral to the Mouseman story – it was the friendship between Father Paul Neville and Robert Thompson that led to the work at Ampleforth College – but in commercial terms these can be relatively difficult pieces.

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Musical box tunes up in Kansas

07 March 2022

This Regina disc and double comb-operated upright musical box is expected to be one of the highlights when Woody Auction in Kansas offers the collection of David and Marlene Howard from Ohio on March 19.

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Heaven and earth: toilet invention influences

28 February 2022

During the Victorian era the Rev Henry Moule (1801-80) of Fordington in Dorset was doubtless considered something of a zealot.

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Comics at auction: A truly super set of prices

28 February 2022

A four-day US sale of comics and comic art produced some extraordinary results – with 4900 would-be buyers registered and every one of the 1333 lots sold to bring a premium-inclusive total of $23.76m (£17.34m).

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Touch of luxury from Palais Royale

14 February 2022

The Palais Royale built for Cardinal Richelieu in 1629 had a variety of uses over the years but in the 18th and early 19th century was rebuilt as a place for public recreation and social gathering.

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Collector interview: Citizen Cane talks the walk

07 February 2022

Anthony Moss, the proud owner of 2500 walking sticks and canes, tells us about the extensive collection he and his wife have amassed.

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Stand-out lots from the treen scene

24 January 2022

A selection of these functional but fascinating objects that have appeared at recent sales

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Michael Collins’ gift for barman who kept his cool

17 January 2022

This late 19th century walking cane with sturdy ebonised shaft and silver-plated handle comes with a letter of provenance stating that it had been a gift from Irish revolutionary soldier and politician Michael Collins (1890-1922) to Patrick Baker, head barman at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin.

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