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.


Russian Fan Recto.jpg

Fabulous fan decorated with diamonds and sapphires thought to be a Russian princess wedding gift is estimated at £30,000-50,000 at auction

03 June 2019

An extravagant fan decorated with diamonds and sapphires is to be offered in North Yorkshire saleroom Tennants.

ATG letter: Would you say Grandfather Clock?

27 May 2019

MADAM – Further to Mr Adam’s letter in ATG No 2393, and Mr Lewis’ letter in ATG No 2392, the facts that I supplied in my letter about the history of the Ordinary Bicycle and its incorrect renaming are entirely accurate.

Apple 1.jpg

How much for one of the first Apple computers? Here are seven realised prices ahead of the latest auction this week

20 May 2019

A chance to own one of the first Apple computers ever made is on offer at Christie’s online-only auction ending on Thursday.

img_55-2.jpg

ATG letter: ‘Penny Farthing’ is just fine

20 May 2019

MADAM – I take great issue with the recent letter on Penny Farthings written by Peter W Card (ATG No 2391).

Margaret Thatcher

Final Margaret Thatcher auction is a white-glove affair at Christie’s

17 May 2019

An auction that coincided with the 40th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s historic election as the UK’s first female prime minister, raised a premium-inclusive £1.08m at Christie’s.

Wilson

Prince Charles painting, Churchill funeral memento and HP Sauce –Harold and Mary Wilson auction takes £226,000

14 May 2019

Harold Wilson (1916-95) was Britain’s prime minister twice and won four out of five general elections, more than any other post-war British leader of any party.

Settee

Sofa where Edward Prince of Wales met Wallis Simpson comes to auction in Northamptonshire

08 May 2019

The 'love seat' said to have played a part in the abdication crisis of 1936 is to be offered at auction this week at Humbert & Ellis.

img_8-1.jpg

Pick of the week: Du Maurier dazzles as buyers worldwide snap up all 354 lots of writer's archive

06 May 2019

A manuscript for Rebecca and a favourite typewriter were among the top lots in a collection of objects and ephemera once owned by author and playwright Daphne du Maurier (1907-89) sold at Rowley’s in Ely (22.5% buyer’s premium).

ATG letter: My plea on the derisory ‘Penny Farthing’ term

06 May 2019

MADAM – I have noticed an increasing penchant for editors, advertisers and auction companies to use the term ‘Penny Farthing’ in the pages of ATG when in fact they should be using the term ‘Ordinary Bicycle’, or, if there is a need to be more descriptive, ‘High Bicycle’.

img_67-2.jpg

ATG letter: Not so rare but highly desirable

06 May 2019

MADAM – Robert Vince asks an interesting question of the tin-printed Gilbert Rae show-card (Letters, ATG No 2389).

Victoria photo

Memories of Queen Victoria’s favourite dog among collection of Royal memorabilia heading to auction in north London

02 May 2019

A collection of items relating to Queen Victoria including a memento mori for her beloved dog are to be offered at a north London auction house.

Lusitania biscuit

Collector takes the Lusitania lifeboat biscuit at £300,000 Titanic sale in Wiltshire

01 May 2019

A hard tack biscuit, purportedly taken from a lifeboat during the sinking of RMS Lusitania, sold for £4000 at Henry Aldridge & Son’s latest Titanic, White Star and Transport Memorabilia sale (20% buyer's premium).

img_63-2.jpg

ATG letter: This has got my aerated waters going

29 April 2019

MADAM – Having collected advertising for over 50 years, I recently sold this rare Gilbert Rae’s tinplate sign (below) which I always believed to be one of only a handful that still exist.

Coca-Cola bottle

Early prototype Coca-Cola bottle takes $110,000 at auction in Las Vegas

24 April 2019

An early Coca-Cola bottle, a 1915 prototype of the design still used today, has been sold at auction for a premium-inclusive $110,700 (a hammer price of $92,250).

img_23-5.jpg

Exceptional Tunbridge workbox makes £6500

19 April 2019

Meeting all the criteria for Tunbridge ware collectors, this workbox on stand below was one of the top buys at Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s (19.5% buyer’s premium) sale at Taunton on April 4.

Harold Wilson

Collection from the “extraordinary life” of Harold Wilson and his wife Mary comes to auction in Staffordshire

12 April 2019

Harold Wilson (1916-95) was Britain’s prime minister not once, but twice and was the man who offered Britain its first referendum on membership of the then European Community and the Common Market.

img_1-1.jpg

Signs of the times: Single owner collection stands out at Paris auction

08 April 2019

Pioneer collection of street furniture goes from Parisian flat to the saleroom.

img_32-1.jpg

Single-owner sale: Signs that Paris appreciates its streetscapes

08 April 2019

French and foreign bidders flock to white-glove sale of pioneer collection of the city’s heritage

Coca-Cola bottle

Coke is it: Early prototype Coca-Cola bottle comes to auction with $100,000 guide price

26 March 2019

A recently-discovered early Coca-Cola bottle, a 1915 prototype of the design still used today, will be offered for sale next month with an auction estimate of $100,000-$150,000.

img_56-3.jpg

Buttons from French fairs head to auction

25 March 2019

Since she moved to France two decades ago Rebecca Lloyd Marlow has visited the country’s countless markets looking for antique buttons.

Categories

News