Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell

Ancient pottery camel figure stars in our latest pick of five auction highlights
15 January 2021ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a Tang dynasty (618-907) pottery figure of a Bactrian camel and rider that went four times over estimate.

Open Art Fair appeals court ruling on stand fee
11 January 2021The organiser of The Open Art Fair is to appeal a small claims court ruling that said two dealers need pay only part of their stand fee as the event was cut short.

A true mouse man carving comes to auction in Yorkshire
11 January 2021The highlight of a private collection of Robert Thompson oak carvings to be offered by Tennants on March 6 is this curious anthropomorphic figure of the ‘Mouseman of Kilburn’.

Pick of the week: Take tea with the queen – at a twelfth the normal size
11 January 2021A copy of the Royal Doulton dinner service commissioned in 1922 for Queen Mary’s doll’s house sold for a top-estimate £30,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) as part of the Thomas Goode auction at Sotheby’s.

Enter the dragon – collection of Welsh ceramics sold in Cardiff includes choice entries
11 January 2021The Welsh Sale at Rogers Jones (22% buyer’s premium) in Cardiff included a large section of Welsh ceramics from a west Wales estate.

Ceramics and glassware: taking the market for toby jugs at face value
11 January 2021A London auction offering ceramics fans a treat thanks to single-owner collections and a mixed array leads a look at the market as a whole

Bidders on the scent of an 1810 ‘classic head’ US coin
11 January 2021Some of the best US coin discoveries are today made in the UK.

Auction previews: issue 2475
11 January 2021Our regular selection of previews from UK and Irish salerooms.

Orientalist basin, mahogany bookcases, Arts and Crafts oak chest – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
08 January 2021ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a rare Orientalist basin by the French ‘father of art pottery’ and a pair of mahogany bookcases that went 16 times over estimate.

‘Earliest dated Irish glass’ sells at auction
04 January 2021What is perhaps the earliest dated piece of Irish glass sold at auction in Lewes.

Pick of the week: Gilbert’s St George figure sells at a £1m high
04 January 2021Closing the year in some style, a patinated and parcel gilt bronze ‘double size’ figure of St George set a new auction record for Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) at Bonhams.

A games machine and a rare livestock picture are among three lots to watch at auction
04 January 2021With estimates from £300-5000 here are three previews of upcoming items this week.

Glassmaker turns his hand to silver
04 January 2021The name William Beilby (1740-1819) is typically associated with the best of English glass and particularly the enamelling workshop operated from Amen Corner in Newcastle in the 1760s-70s.

Back-painting at sale forefront
04 January 2021Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) Autumn Fine Sale in Leyburn was topped by a pair of verre eglomisé pictures by Jonas Zeuner (1727-1814).

Waistel Cooper in his own world
04 January 2021Once dismissed as a mere Hans Coper follower, the studio potter is now in rising demand

Broken and reglued but still sold at £200,000
04 January 2021A recent fine art auction at Hansons (25% buyer’s premium) included a once magnificent Qianlong (1735-99) copper-red and underglaze blue lantern vase.

Automobilia: Dominions sign gets into gear
04 January 2021Petrol-themed enamel signs do not get much better than that made to promote British Dominions Empire Motor Insurance in c.1912.

Auction previews: issue 2474
04 January 2021Our regular selection of previews from UK and Irish salerooms.

Anti-slavery jug leads our pick of five auction highlights sold this month
27 December 2020ATG’s latest selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes an early 19th century ‘anti-slavery’ jug that made over 20-times estimate in Macclesfield.

Wind it even with gloves
21 December 2020Estimated at £800-1000 at Adam Partridge (20% buyer’s premium) but sold at £10,000 was this International Watch Company Luftwaffe pilot’s watch, c.1940.