Auctions

News and previews of art and antiques sold at auctions throughout the UK and overseas, from multi-million-pound blockbusters to affordable collectables.


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Lalique in the limelight

18 December 2017

René Lalique’s jewellery showing his characteristic but highly distinctive interpretation of Art Nouveau finds plenty of keen fans.

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Regional highlights of the year – from a Graff ring in Birmingham to a Qing altar vase in Somerset

18 December 2017

2017 produced some eye-catching prices in the UK’s regional salerooms. Here are some stand-out lots...

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Crib scenes set to bring seasonal cheer at Paris auction

18 December 2017

Realistically modelled crib figures are a particular speciality of southern European countries – the Santons of Provence being one well-known example. Another is the famous presepe figures from Naples.

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Bid Barometer

18 December 2017

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period December 7-13, 2017. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

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Top 10 web winners of 2017 are…

18 December 2017

A selection of the leading lots sold above estimate via thesaleroom.com in 2017 suggests a thriving online market for the esoteric...

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Christie’s pulls Waldseemüller gores ‘pending further research’ over date

18 December 2017

A ‘rediscovered’ fifth copy of Martin Waldseemüller’s globe gores from c.1507 was withdrawn from sale last week after a group of academics and dealers in the US expressed doubts over its authenticity.

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The ceramics scene setters

18 December 2017

While English ceramics feature in most provincial sales, November provided four auctions where the market could be looked at overall.

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Wearing the Vorticist movement on your sleeve costs £29,000

18 December 2017

An extraordinary example of British avant-garde clothing made on the eve of the First World War sold for £29,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Mallams Oxford on December 8.

Seventh time lucky for first work by Brontë sisters

18 December 2017

A copy of the first published work of the Brontë sisters sold for a record sum at Sotheby’s (25/20/12/5% buyer’s premium) on November 7, just a few months after a new high had been set at another London auction.

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Suffolk railwayana steams into sale

18 December 2017

More than 400 lots of railwayana, assembled from the 1950s onwards by a single collector, will be offered at Norfolk auction house TW Gaze on January 5.

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Marilyn’s sultry happy birthday song to JFK

18 December 2017

The night, just three months before her death, that Marilyn Monroe sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in sultry tones at a Democratic Party fundraiser celebrating John F Kennedy’s 45th birthday caused quite a sensation.

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Delacroix sketch sells at £2.6m

18 December 2017

Strong competition emerged for an oil sketch for Eugène Delacroix’s 'Liberty Leading the People' at Christie’s in London on December 14.

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Theatrical flourishes and ladies of the night

18 December 2017

A fascinating archive of manuscripts, ephemera and artefacts relating to the life and career of the great actor, playwright and theatrical manager David Garrick sold for a far higher than predicted £90,000 at Bonhams (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on November 15.

Eugene Delacroix ‘Liberty Leading the People’

The value of Liberty – sketch for Eugène Delacroix’s famous painting bid to record sum at Christie’s

16 December 2017

An oil sketch by Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) for his renowned painting ‘Liberty Leading the People’ was knocked down at £2.6m at auction in London this week.

Cannons

Cannons from a 17th century English warship return to UK for Southend museum

15 December 2017

Recovered from a US buyer, three historic cannons are returning to Southend for a new exhibition.

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Lawrence of Arabia sandals emerge from supermarket carrier bag into Derbyshire auction

14 December 2017

A supermarket carrier bag concealed a battle-weary but still wearable pair of sandals worn by Lawrence of Arabia.

Banksy

Banksy print record set at Forum Auctions in New York

13 December 2017

Forum Auctions’ Banksy sale in New York last night set a new record for a Banksy print. Girl with Balloon (2004) set a record when it sold for a mid-estimate $110,000 (£82,400).

The Holy Family by Nicholas Poussin

Nicholas Poussin’s Holy Family owned by Lucien Bonaparte comes back to the market at Paris auction

13 December 2017

A painting by the 17th century French master Nicholas Poussin (1594-1665) that once belonged to Lucien Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon, is a highlight of an Old Master paintings auction being held by Tajan in Paris.

Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen memorabilia sale postponed at Surrey auction house

13 December 2017

Guildford auction house Ewbank’s has agreed to suspend a planned memorabilia auction today after discussions with The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.

Martin Waldseemüller’s globe gores

Christie’s withdraws ‘first map’ of America after experts suggest it may be fake

12 December 2017

At the eleventh hour, Christie’s has taken the decision to withdraw the headline lot from the December 13 Books and Manuscripts sale in London after serious doubts were expressed over its authenticity.

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