Collectables

The term ‘collectables’ (or collectibles) encompasses a vast range of items in fields as diverse as arms, armour and militaria, bank notes, cameras, coins, entertainment and sporting memorabilia, stamps, taxidermy, wines and writing equipment.

Some collectables are antiques, others are classed as retro, vintage or curios but all are of value to the collector. In any of these fields, buyers seek out rarities and items with specific associations.


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English scent bottle emerges in Chicago from a Kansas City collector

10 October 2022

A single-owner collection of 42 gold boxes and objects of vertu from the estate of a Kansas City collector is to be offered by Hindman on October 18.

Brooch

Shipwreck furniture and lock of hair with Horatio Nelson links attract collectors at auction

04 October 2022

A bookcase made from the wreck of Nelson’s former flagship HMS Foudroyant and brooch containing a lock Nelson's hair sold at auction last month.

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Mechanical creative marvels from a comprehensive collection

03 October 2022

From jukeboxes to robotic bands, a comprehensive collection was on offer in Pennsylvania.

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Comics galore on Tyneside

12 September 2022

Newcastle auction house Anderson & Garland is holding The Comics Auction on September 28-29.

Sledge flag

UK buyer sought for Arctic exploration flag from Captain Henry Kellett

06 September 2022

A flag from polar explorer Captain Henry Kellett (1806-1875) has been barred from export in the hope £120,000 can be raised to keep it in the UK.

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A piece of Mouseman furniture and a psychologist's portrait are among six lots to watch

05 September 2022

With estimates from £200-6000, here are six previews of items coming up at auction this week.

Beano Comic No 1

News in Brief – including one of only 30 known copies of The Beano No 1 emerging at auction

05 September 2022

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including a copy of The Beano No 1 selling for a five-figure sum at auction.

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Rare autograph of England’s first-ever football captain emerges at auction

29 August 2022

Two sporting ‘firsts’ are being marked by lots coming up in separate auctions this month.

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Have you got the guts to buy it?

22 August 2022

Priced on the cover at nine pence, it was a British copy of a Marvel comic of 1983, one that saw the first appearance of the mighty Thor, that led the bidding at £6300 in the comics section of a July 21-22 sale held by Fieldings (24% buyer’s premium).

Welsh treen

‘Finest’ Welsh treen collection consigned to Bonhams

15 August 2022

Bonhams is to offer what it calls ‘the finest collection of Welsh treen ever presented’ for auction next month.

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How Stan Dodds breathed life into carving

25 July 2022

Three lots at Tennants’ (22% buyer’s premium) traced the history of Stan Dodds (1928-2012) – the first and foremost of the Critters.

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Comics create a super success

25 July 2022

Sold for $2m (£1.62m) in a major and hugely successful comics sale held by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) of Dallas was an original cover artwork produced in 1986 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1.

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‘Of a superior character to Tunbridge ware’, maker claimed

25 July 2022

“Analogous to the Tunbridge ware but of a superior character” was Robert Russell’s description of his work at the 1851 Great Exhibition.

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The elusive Button Gwinnett completes a Declaration full set

11 July 2022

Unknown as he is to the vast majority of people, even Americans, Button Gwinnett is certainly renowned among collectors of early US history.

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English tea caddy on offer at Butterscotch

11 July 2022

Butterscotch in New York is holding its summer estates auction on July 17.

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Roman jewellery box on offer in Munich sale

04 July 2022

Almost two thousand years ago, a wealthy Roman woman would have kept her jewellery or trinkets in a cylindrical box, a so-called Pyxis. They were originally plain vessels, often made of pottery.

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What an incredible Hulk

04 July 2022

A real stand-out success in the Comic Book Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) timed online sale that ended on May 29 was to be found among the large collection of US comics that were offered without reserve – albeit a British issue of the comic bearing a cover price of nine pence.

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Chests from four centuries apart

20 June 2022

These two oak boarded chests, made to similar techniques four centuries apart, were offered for sale recently.

Silver casket with Dr Anna Groundwater

Mary, Queen of Scots silver casket sold to Scottish museum for £1.8m

24 May 2022

A casket believed to have once belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots has been bought by the National Museum of Scotland with help from donors and art funds.

Baccarat tantalus

Trunk and drunk at the same time for a party

16 May 2022

This remarkable Baccarat tantalus in the form of an elephant and howdah sold at Can$120,000 (£75,000) at an auction in Victoria, British Columbia.

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