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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Dutch homage to Caravaggio in Zurich

18 September 2017

A painting of a violin player holding a wine glass by Dirck Van Baburen will be offered at Koller’s upcoming auction in Zurich.

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Henry Moore maquette emerges in New Jersey

18 September 2017

This bronze maquette by Henry Moore (1898-1986) will feature in a two-session, 850-lot sale to be held by Nye and Company in Bloomfield NJ on September 27-28.

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Remember to always read the label

18 September 2017

Details on the back of a pastel drawing lead to detective work and royal portraitist connection...

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Designs on wider market reach as auctioneers realise potential of 'branded' sales

18 September 2017

The field encompassed by ‘Design’ sales is being diligently tilled by many UK auctioneers aware of the potential of a market appealing to younger buyers wary of traditional antiques.

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Silver linings and more in uniform treasure trove

18 September 2017

Two aspects of soldiering – a touch of glamour and life at the deadly sharp end – were illustrated in two lots at a Tennants (18.5% buyer’s premium) antiques and militaria sale at Leyburn.

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Slipware dish is auction bloomer at Mitchells

18 September 2017

Catalogued as early English, this slipware dish above had all the qualities of the combed decoration earthenware baking, or loaf, dishes produced in the late 18th to early 19th century and took the top price at Mitchells (20% buyers premium) of Cockermouth.

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Qianlong seal appears in Toulouse auction

18 September 2017

The personal seals used by the Qianlong Emperor, a known connoisseur and patron of the arts, are among the most highly prized Chinese artefacts in today’s market.

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Collector creates website to record the works of Thomas Baker of Leamington

18 September 2017

About a month ago, collector Robert Mulraine launched a website dedicated to the artist Thomas Baker of Leamington (1808-1869). A great enthusiast of the Victorian landscape painter, he has been working with the curatorial team of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to create an online ‘Memoranda of Pictures’ based on the artist’s five diaries in the museum’s collection.

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Falcon poster flies among film relics

18 September 2017

Best of 193 lots of film posters which made up a specialist sale at Burstow Hewett (15% buyer’s premium) at Battle was this variation for the classic movie The Maltese Falcon.

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Finn Juhl furniture are among highlights at Copenhagen auction

18 September 2017

Two rare early pieces of furniture by the famous architect and designer Finn Juhl are among the highlights in Bruun Rasmussen’s Design sale to be held in Copenhagen on September 27-28.

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Bidders focus on naval binoculars

18 September 2017

Enhancing a growing reputation at Edinburgh auction house Thomson Roddick (17.5% buyer’s premium) for optical instruments, a recent sale included 18 lots of binoculars and the like.

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Christie’s and China top NY Asia Week auctions

18 September 2017

Christie’s seven sales dominated the New York Asian art series. With a couple of sales still to go across the weekend, the firm’s running total was close to $35m, more than twice the aggregate of its competitors.

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Brownfield sight develops sale demand

18 September 2017

Found by a dog walker in a roadside skip, this remarkably intact Victorian majolica teapot found the ideal bidder at Brighton General Auctions (15% buyer’s premium).

Saleroom finds winning recipe

18 September 2017

In recent years Dominic Winter (19.5% buyer’s premium) has enjoyed considerable success with cookery manuscripts and the most recent auction further enhanced the saleroom’s recipe for culinary success.

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Album reveals POW camp life

18 September 2017

Located on the Vistula river in northern Poland, the old city of Torun somehow escaped undamaged from the ravages of the Second World War and is now recognised as one of the country’s national treasures.

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Portrait of 1920s film actress Pola Negri with Rudolph Valentino offered at Bonhams

18 September 2017

While plenty of general auctions around the country feature a range of 19th century and early 20th century paintings, Bonhams is staging its next dedicated sale in this category on September 27.

Dickens strolls in at £45,000

18 September 2017

Bid to £45,000 at Sotheby’s (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) was an extensively revised and corrected autograph draft of what was to become Charles Dickens’ tale of ‘Mrs Gamp with the Strolling Players’.

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Ballroom dance guide leads Ilkley selection

18 September 2017

A Regency period guide to ballroom dancing, sold for a much higher than expected £800, was a rare and welcome entry in the book section of a September 6 sale held by Hartleys (18% buyer’s premium) of Ilkley.

Bacon pope

A second Francis Bacon pope painting comes to Christie’s Frieze week auction roster

15 September 2017

Are Francis Bacon pope pictures like buses? Just a week after revealing details of the auction of Bacon’s 'Head with Raised Arm' (1955), Christie’s has now unveiled Bacon’s 'Study of Red Pope 1962 2nd version 1971', which will also be offered at auction in October to coincide with Frieze week.

Lucie Rie

Lucie Rie - doyenne of the British studio pottery scene - continues to lead at auction

15 September 2017

Demand for Lucie Rie’s studio pottery is on a roll. The latest example in the saleroom came at Sotheby’s Made in Britain auction on September 13 when this yellow and bronze glazed bowl from the 1980s sold for £100,000 (plus premium).

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