Auctions

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


songye mask extra £120.jpg

Peter Wilson tribal art auctions show African influence on Pablo Picasso and Cubism

29 July 2016

Pablo Picasso is revered as a key pioneer of Cubism, the radical approach to representing reality that he spearheaded with Georges Braque in the early 1900s. As with so many art movements, its roots extend further back, however.

Charterhouse 1933 AC Close Coupled FHC.jpg

1933 AC Ace close coupled fixed head coupe barn find sells at auction for £19,000

28 July 2016

Flat tyres and a thick film of dust, dirt and grime. Last on the road in the 1960s. It doesn’t exactly scream ‘buy me’. Especially for a £19,000 hammer price. Not to mention the fact that it’s going to cost you many thousands more to restore.

ASA to investigate transparency over auction premiums

27 July 2016

The Advertising Standards Authority have launched an investigation into the way auction houses display their commission rates.

Memento mori rock crystal slide from 1694

Memento mori jewellery deadly serious at auction

27 July 2016

A skull and crossbones ring or a skeleton on a chain are now likely to be seen hanging from a Goth looking like they have just stepped out of a Tim Burton film or heading for the biannual Whitby music fest.

Victoria Cross General George Channer

Lord Ashcroft buys ‘unique’ Victoria Cross from 1875 colonial campaign

26 July 2016

A ‘unique’ Victoria Cross at auction usually means one thing – a bid from Lord Ashcroft. And that’s exactly how it turned out at the latest orders and decoration auction held by London saleroom Dix Noonan Webb.

RM Sotheby's Austin Princess

Drive my car: John Lennon's Austin Princess comes to RM Sotheby's

25 July 2016

John Lennon's 1956 Austin Princess is one of the featured lots at RM Sotheby’s London auction in September.

Ghostbusters Marshmallow Man toy

Original Ghostbusters merchandise at specialist toy auction in Bristol

25 July 2016

Who you gonna call? If you have ectoplasm seeping through the floorboards then ‘Ghostbusters’ is the obvious answer, shouted loudly.

Boba Fett Star Wars figure auction record

‘Le Boba’ sets auction record for Star Wars figure, selling for £21,000 at Vectis

25 July 2016

A new record for a Star Wars production figure was established at Vectis' latest sale when a French issue of Boba Fett, the memorable bit-part character in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, sold for £21,000.

David Gainsborough Roberts

Jersey boy: a curious collection of 20th century treasures comes to auction

22 July 2016

The collection of Jersey-based David Gainsborough Roberts leads Christie’s 250th anniversary Out of the Ordinary sale in September.

Meiji period netsuke of a rat

The rat awakens – Netsuke estimated at £200-300 sparks bidding war and sells at £28,500

22 July 2016

This tiny ivory netsuke of a rat was the major suprise of a recent auction in the Cotswolds.

Celtic medal at Mctears auction

Medal from Celtic’s first-ever cup victory to be offered at Glasgow auction

21 July 2016

Fighting valiantly through the Champions League qualifying rounds after overcoming the mighty Lincoln Red Imps last night, Celtic are well on the way to emulating their 1967 Lisbon Lions European Cup glory.

Specialists leave Christie’s as regular poster auctions end at South Kensington saleroom

21 July 2016

Christie’s South Kensington have ceased regular sales of vintage posters. The leading player in the popular collecting field say that they will now offer posters for sale in online auctions when the opportunity to sell an exceptional collection arises.

Sputnik-1 model at Bonhams

Sputnik-1 model goes into orbit at New York auction selling at 15 times estimate

21 July 2016

A full-scale test model of the satellite Sputnik-1 sold at Bonhams New York yesterday for $220,000 (£167,012), outstripping a $10,000-15,000 estimate.

John Arnold watch at Sotheby’s

Perfect timing – John Arnold pocket watch fetches £460,000 record

21 July 2016

Sotheby’s established an auction record for a watch by John Arnold (1736-99) when a large silver pocket chronometer of 1781 sold at £460,000.

Claudia Dwek of Sotheby's

Sotheby's promote Claudia Dwek to European chairman of contemporary art

20 July 2016

Sotheby’s have appointed Claudia Dwek as chairman of contemporary art, Europe. She will remain as co-chairman of Sotheby’s Italy.

Henry Moore’s Reclining Figure Festival

Christie’s sales down 27% – is this an art market slump?

20 July 2016

Christie’s has experienced a sharp fall in overall sales. In figures released earlier today the company reported sales of £2.1bn for the first half of 2016, which compared to £2.9bn for the same period in 2015.

Chinese Kangxi porcelain famille noir brushwater

Rare Kangxi brushwater takes top spot at Roseberys' auction

20 July 2016

Roseberys' latest fine art auction produced particularly sound results from the Asian art collection of Sir Anthony Hastings George, proving that a good provenance is still key.

Francis Picabia Waddington Christie's

Leslie Waddington collection comes to Christie's for Frieze week sale

19 July 2016

Christie’s London has announced the sale of the late dealer Leslie Waddington’s collection in a single-owner auction during Frieze week in October this year.

Giovanni Grancino cello

Cash in the attic - Grancino cello and Voirin bow sell for £173,000 at London auction

19 July 2016

A cello by Giovanni Grancino made in Milan in c.1710 was one of a number of ‘attic finds’ that led Brompton’s latest musical instruments auction.

Regime change at Stanley Gibbons as top bosses made redundant

18 July 2016

Major changes have been announced to the management and board of Stanley Gibbons after the chief executive and chief financial officer were made redundant.

News

Categories