Auctioneers

The auction process is a key part of the secondary art and antiques market.

Firms of auctioneers usually specialise in a number of fields such as jewellery, ceramics, paintings, Asian art or coins but many also hold general sales where the goods available are not defined by a particular genre and are usually lower in value.

Auctioneers often provide other services such as probate and insurance valuations.

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The words on the street - record for Sinclair Lewis' 1920 first at Swann

12 June 2017

Condition leaves a little to be desired, but the spine of this copy of Sinclair Lewis’ 'Main Street' and the matching details on the jacket mark it out as a 1920 first, published by Harcourt, Brace & Howe of New York.

Le Corbusier light fitting

Le Corbusier lights withdrawn at last minute from French auction

10 June 2017

A group of more than 100 metal light fittings designed for a major French housing complex by Le Corbusier (aka Charles Edouard Jeanneret) has been unexpectedly withdrawn from a design sale at the French auction house Artcurial.

Vilhelm Hammershøi’s White Doors

Hammershøi artwork returns home to Denmark after £1.2m Copenhagen museum buy

09 June 2017

Ordrupgaard Museum in Copenhagen has purchased Vilhelm Hammershøi’s 'White Doors' for the hammer price of £1.2m, well above its £400,000-600,000 estimate.

Stanley Gibbons

Stanley Gibbons Group receives approach from private equity firm

09 June 2017

Stamps and coin dealership Stanley Gibbons Group announced it has received an approach from private equity firm Disruptive Capital to buy the company.

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Mysterious 1776 US pewter dollar coin at auction in New York

08 June 2017

One of the earliest coins in American history is coming to auction at Spink in New York.

Sunbathers by Keith Vaughan

Modern British art in demand in Salisbury as Keith Vaughan’s ‘Sunbathers’ is bid to £120,000

07 June 2017

Works by Keith Vaughan, John Minton, Christopher Wood and Paul Nash drew demand at a Woolley & Wallis auction featuring a prominent collection of 20th century British art.

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Medal at auction recalls when England won the first World Cups

07 June 2017

When you hear that a team with ‘Auckland’ in the title won the first football World Cup, two obvious questions immediately come to mind: the first World Cup was surely won by Uruguay in 1930, wasn’t it? And... when have the Kiwis ever been any good at footy?

James Collingridge of Christie’s

Christie’s South Kensington veteran passes away

07 June 2017

James 'Jim' Collingridge, one of Christie’s South Kensington’s first auctioneers and mentor to several senior auctioneer figures, has passed away at the age of 86.

Edouard Joseph Dantan painting

Classical French salon painting rediscovered in Suffolk house offered at auction

07 June 2017

A major work by French Academy painter Edouard Joseph Dantan (1846-97) apparently unseen in public for over a century has emerged at an auction in Colchester.

Louis XVI commode

Lady Spencer’s collection to be sold at Christie’s auction

06 June 2017

Princess Diana’s stepmother, Chatelaine of Althorp, Dame Barbara Cartland’s daughter, or Acid Raine. The late Countess Spencer had a number of labels and, according to the Telegraph, she “seldom left anyone indifferent”.

Parmigianino

Parmigianino sketch from home town of Parma to be offered at Bonhams auction

05 June 2017

A rediscovered sketch by Italian Renaissance master Parmigianino is to be offered at Bonhams in July.

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Tony Curtis cut-out from Sgt Pepper's album cover up at auction

05 June 2017

You may have, possibly, maybe, perhaps, gleaned by now that 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest albums of all time.

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CSK closure: ‘For the long-term health of the business it is right’

05 June 2017

Christie’s South Kensington, a popular and influential fixture on the London auction scene for over 40 years, will hold its final sale next month.

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Dora Carrington’s saleroom flowering as still-life takes £72,000 at Mallams

05 June 2017

Estimated at £15,000-25,000, a still-life by Dora Carrington (1893-1932) sold for £72,000 at Mallams in Oxford on May 26.

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Victorian silver snuffbox with Montefiore crest takes £40,000 at Blythe Road auction

05 June 2017

A Victorian silver snuff box engraved with a view of East Cliff Lodge in Ramsgate sold for a mighty £40,000 (plus 22% buyer‘s premium) at Matthew Barton‘s sale held at 25 Blythe Road, London, on May 24.

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Asian art Jades: any colour as long as it’s white

05 June 2017

By definition ruyi sceptres are highly auspicious objects, favoured for their shape and ornamentation which together represent the propitious expression ‘as you wish’.

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Asian art Japanese: Tomatada shines in Katchen collection

05 June 2017

The centrepiece of Bonhams’ Japanese offering on May 11 was the second part of the extraordinary collection of netsuke formed by US concert pianist Julius Katchen (1926-69) and his wife Arlette.

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Music sale performs with style

05 June 2017

Regarded by many as Gustav Mahler’s greatest song for voice and orchestra, ‘Ich bin der Weit abhanden gekommen’ was just one of many first-class performances featured in a 53-lot music sale conducted by Sotheby’s (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on May 23.

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Bountiful Burmantofts collection emerges at Salisbury auction

05 June 2017

Earlier this year Woolley & Wallis decorative arts specialist Michael Jeffery received a call out of the blue from the family of a recently deceased collector in the south of England.

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Anne Frank’s diary in Dutch and English form

05 June 2017

In recent times a few examples of the 1947, Dutch text, first printing of Anne Frank’s famous diary (part of a print run of just 1500 copies) have come to auction.

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