Latest News Articles by Mark Bridge
Success for slim and sleek styling at Holts
06 August 2018The classic English sporting gun is a sidelock, but for many the ‘round-action’ shotguns perfected by John Dickson of Edinburgh in the 1870s are the most elegant of all.
Pistols display their finery
06 August 2018It took a bid of €60,000 (£53,100) to secure a pair of flintlock pistols of c.1730 from the armoury of the Princes of Lobkowitz at Hermann Historica (25% buyer’s premium) in Munich in May.
Eastern weapons create collections on the cutting edges
06 August 2018Edged weapons from the East dominated the summer sale at Thomas Del Mar (24% buyer’s premium) in London on June 27 and it was an old collection of Indian dress daggers that produced the highest prices.
Opulent but deadly from Turkestan
06 August 2018Among the thousands of lots in Hermann Historica’s (25% buyer’s premium) May sales series in Munich, one of the highlights was this gold inlaid karud from Turkestan which sold at €29,000 (£25,665).
Armour that stands out in non-vintage season
06 August 2018It has not been a vintage season for armour in the saleroom, but some of the recent highlights from London and Munich are shown here.
Persian dagger in Bucks
06 August 2018It was not only in London that Eastern daggers made a big impression in UK auctions this summer.
Arms and armour auction previews selection
29 January 2018Focus on lots coming up in sales at four auction houses, two from the UK and two from the US.
Get a handle on the pistols market
29 January 2018The latest recent arms and armour sales on both sides of the Atlantic serves only to reinforce the impression that pistols remain a huge favourite with collectors in this field.
Continental pistol rarities at London auction
29 January 2018The same French collection that brought the fine pair of Boutet pistols to the Thomas Del Mar Sale on December 6 also included a number of later Continental pistols that were rare and certainly unfamiliar to most British collectors.
Militaria fair dates to note
29 January 2018As winter moves into spring, London will host two major events for arms and armour enthusiasts.
Mammoth Munich auctions motor onward
29 January 2018Hermann Historica (23% buyer’s premium) of Munich mounted its customary assault on the arms and armour market with no fewer than seven catalogues covering more than 6000 objects, ranging from ancient Greek helmets to military and other vehicles.
House call finds huge militaria hoard in tiny Liverpool home
29 January 2018The New Year is traditionally quiet in the salerooms but the 1800-lot Cheetham collection generated some real excitement at Adam Partridge (18% buyer’s premium) in Macclesfield.
Keep your eye on the brawl…
29 January 2018Holt’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) sale in London on December 14 included two prime examples of weapons designed to get their owners out of a tight corner.
Singer: from sewing machine to gun maker
29 January 2018When the US Government invited arms manufacturers to tender designs for a new standard-issue pistol for the US Army in the early 1900s the winner was Colt, with a system devised by John Moses Browning.
Selection of arms and armour hammer highlights
29 January 2018Attributed to the arms manufactory at Ripoll in northern Catalonia, this pair of 18th century miquelet-lock belt pistols (below) proved the surprise lot of the sale held by Italian arms specialist Czerny (20% buyer’s premium) in Sarzana on December 9. In good condition with an overall inlay of pierced and engraved decorative steelwork, they sold for €15,500 (£13,600).
Weapons at the cutting edge of war
29 January 2018The American Civil War was fought during a period of rapid technical development in weaponry. While the conventional and reliable Springfield percussion rifle remained the mainstay of the infantry, many innovative firearms saw service for the first (and sometimes the last) time.
Composite suit of armour fits together to show its metal
29 January 2018A complete suit of well-matched period armour is rare indeed, so there was no doubting the star of Bonhams’ (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) sale in London.
'Parcours de la Céramique': 20th ceramics staging celebrates Saumur
04 September 2017The Parcours de la Céramique has become a well-established feature of the Paris rentrée.
Paris Biennale preview: Q&A with exhibitors Aktis Gallery and Kent Antiques
04 September 2017ATG canvasses the opinion of two exhibitors, one returning for the second time and a new recruit.