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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Book sale surprises spring up in the north and south

23 October 2017

Sales held on consecutive days in Edinburgh and London produced two lots that ended up selling for far, far higher than expected sums.

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Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ Ryedale: Bill Haley gold disc stars at auction

23 October 2017

Back at No 1, 60 years after driving teenagers wild and their parents to despair, Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock was the star of Pop and Rock Memorabilia sale at Ryedale Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium) in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, on September 29.

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Artist Jack figures highly in Yeats family collection sold at London auction

23 October 2017

The Emerald Isle was not the only place selling Irish art recently. In London on September 27, Sotheby’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) offered a collection of paintings and personal effects belonging to the family of Irish poet WB Yeats and his brother, artist Jack Butler Yeats.

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Early printed works measure up

23 October 2017

The celebrated Columbus letter announcing his discovery of a New World, sold for $620,000 (£462,000), was very much the star turn at Bonhams New York (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) on September 26 (see ATG No 2313).

Japanese Edo period suit of armour

Major Japanese arms and armour collection offered in Cheltenham auction

21 October 2017

A substantial collection of Japanese arms and armour formed by a Dutch collector will be offered at auction in Cheltenham next week.

Chinese vase offered at auction

Chinese vase estimated at £1.5m-2m fails to sell at Glasgow auction

20 October 2017

A ‘late 18th century Qing famille rose bottle vase’ offered for sale by Glasgow auctioneers Mulberry Bank with an estimate of £1.5m-2m failed to sell earlier today (October 20).

Hungarian silver-gilt cup and cover

Hungarian silver cup brings strong contest at SJ Phillips sale

20 October 2017

A 16th century Hungarian silver-gilt cup and cover proved the most eagerly-contested lot at Sotheby’s sale of items from the stock of SJ Phillips earlier this week.

 William III ‘elephant and castle’ five guineas

Last-minute consignment to Chichester auctioneer is rare William III gold coin

19 October 2017

A rare William III five-guineas has been consigned to Stride & Son just over a week before its specialist coin sale.

Thames Tunnel, Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Can you dig it: Brunel Thames Tunnel archive of designs on offer in London auction

19 October 2017

London is a city now thoroughly used to tunnels. Tube travel has become a normal way to get about the bustling capital and has been for many years. Meanwhile, the huge Crossrail project tunnel section heading east from Paddington is scheduled for December next year.

P Lamaison Van Heenvliet

Impressive militaria at auction and a moustache to match

19 October 2017

Apart from having one of the best moustaches you will ever see and a title almost as long as his facial decoration, De Weledg Heer P Lamaison Van Heenvliet put togather an impressive collection of military and related tribal artefacts.

Sidney Barnsley furniture

Sidney Barnsley oak settee draws strong bidding and sells at £33,000 in Somerset

18 October 2017

A large Arts & Crafts oak settee by Sidney Barnsley was among the star lots sold at Lawrences’ latest sale in Crewkerne.

Eugène Delacroix sketch

Sketch for Delacroix’s seminal painting ‘Liberty Leading the People’ offered at auction

18 October 2017

Auction house Christie’s is expecting a sketch for Eugène Delacroix’s (1798-1863) great painting ‘Liberty Leading the People’ to fetch up to £1m when offered in December.

British Railways totem station sign

British Rail totem sign sale reveals poetic tale of Dilton Marsh

18 October 2017

When all the horrible roads are finally done for, and there’s no more petrol left in the world to burn, here to the halt from Salisbury and from Bristol, steam trains will return. So wrote John Betjeman in his 1969 in his poem in defence of the closure-threatened Dilton Marsh Halt.

Muhammed Ali trunks

Memorabilia from the sporting greats comes to Hollywood auction

17 October 2017

From FIFA to F1, Olympics to boxing, Julien’s offers some knock out lots in its November sale

Jane Oakley of Sworders

Sworders seeks to boost its fine art auctions with appointment of former CSK and Sotheby's specialist

17 October 2017

Sworders has appointed former Sotheby’s, Christie’s South Kensington and Bonhams picture specialist, Jane Oakley, to expand the scope and frequency of its fine art auctions.

Stokes mortar bombs

Bomb alerts triggered off at two auction houses in same week

16 October 2017

Bomb alerts disrupted two separate northern auction houses last week when the alarm was sounded over militaria items included in sales.

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Pick of the Week: The two sides of Alberto Giacometti

16 October 2017

A double-sided drawing by Alberto Giacometti of his classic elongated head and figure designs has been sold at auction in Cambridge for £130,000.

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Auction previews from Munich salerooms Quittenbaum

16 October 2017

ATG picks out a selection of highlights from upcoming auctions in Munich.

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Further journeys worldwide via the Bonham library

16 October 2017

Last week’s first report on the fine travel library of John and Suzanne Bonham at Sotheby’s (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) focused on the Middle East, India, Central Asia and the Far East. This second selection begins with an African discovery and ends at the South Pole.

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Warblers, hummers and hunters at auction

16 October 2017

Pictures, prints and taxidermic displays accounted for the larger part of the Ornithology Sale held by Keys (17.5% buyer’s premium) on September 22, but it also offered some 175 book lots, many of them multiples.

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