Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell

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Stacks of atmosphere created by a travel poster promoting Edinburgh

10 November 2025

Poster specialist Antikbar of Chelsea will stage an auction on November 15 which includes this original 1920s travel poster issued by the London and North Eastern Railway promoting the Edinburgh to Kings Cross route and an ‘Illustrated booklet free from LNER Offices and Agencies’.

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Breadboard collecting – it’s on a knead to know basis

10 November 2025

Bidders given a first slice of Britain’s ‘biggest collection of breadboards’ from museum in family home

Huanghuali armchairs

Chinese huanghuali armchairs owned by Chairman Mao's adviser sell at 15-times top estimate

05 November 2025

A pair of Chinese huanghuali armchairs, formerly owned by a US Treasury official who became an economic adviser to Chairman Mao, were hammered down at £600,000.

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Indian art market hits new heights

03 November 2025

Capping a strong year for the Indian art market, Christie’s has set a new record for any classical Indian or Islamic painting at auction.

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Appliance of science: pocket microscope flies to 10 times estimate in Edinburgh auction

03 November 2025

A George II silver pocket microscope made by John Clark of Edinburgh c.1750 sold for £34,000 as part of the  sale of items from the library of Enlightenment era Scottish mathematician James Stirling (1692-1770).

Gujarat mother-of-pearl charger

Tiger hunt, Gujarat charger and box by Kyoto craftsman take the top honours

03 November 2025

The winners of the Asian Art in London awards were announced at an event held at the V&A in London on October 28.

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Signed Le Petit Prince is particularly special copy

03 November 2025

A sale conducted by US firm Connecticut River Book Auction (15% buyer’s premium) on September 5 included a very rare copy of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s Le Petit Prince.

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Bed first made c.1580 hailed as ‘most original for years’

03 November 2025

Woolley & Wallis (27% buyer’s premium) considered the Elizabethan bed offered on October 1 to be to ‘by far the most original to be offered at auction in recent years’.

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Wars of the Roses bidding battle breaks out for famous Paston Letters lot

03 November 2025

Original manuscript copies of the famous medieval Paston Letters come to the rostrum in Norfolk

Victorian taxidermy case

Spotted kiwi and kakapo preserved for posterity at Norfolk auction

03 November 2025

The Collector sale at Bishop & Miller in Glandford, near Holt, on October 29 included this late Victorian taxidermy case of two of New Zealand’s rarest birds.

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Chinese export Bantam work cabinet weighs in at auction

03 November 2025

Cabinet was among Chinese exports headed for Europe shipped through the Dutch trading port in Java

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Lawyer’s vase ruled to be worth 1000 times estimate

03 November 2025

Seven international phone bidders competed a blue and white porcelain vase to nearly 1000 times its high estimate at Hansons (25.5% buyer’s premium) in Etwall, Derbyshire on October 9.

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Previews: issue 2717

03 November 2025

Our selection of stand-out lots from 12 upcoming auctions

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‘Dying Earth’ novel The Night Land lives on in collecting world

03 November 2025

This copy of 'The Night Land' (1912) is a presentation first inscribed on the front endpaper 'Mrs N. Harrison from William Hope Hodgson, Nov 28th /12'.

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Tiffany vase enamelled in Stourbridge period

03 November 2025

A 9in (22cm) high vase Tiffany Studios copper and enamel vase sold for a surprise $20,000 (£14,800) at Roland Auctions (30/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on September 21.

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Basket picked out from Vincennes Louis XV service

03 November 2025

A Vincennes soft paste porcelain bleu céleste pierced basket from the first Louis XV service sold for £25,000 at Chiswick Auctions (26% buyer’s premium) on October 13.

Volvo

Rare Volvo estate – the archetypal antiques dealer’s car – comes to auction

31 October 2025

An exceptional example of the Volvo estate – the archetypal antiques dealer’s car – comes for sale at Sworders this month.

Mughal art

Record price for any classical Indian or Islamic painting at auction

30 October 2025

Capping a strong year for the Indian art market, Christie’s has set a new record for any classical Indian or Islamic painting at auction.

Duke of Alba

Rediscovered early work by Goya takes six-figure sum at auction

30 October 2025

A recently rediscovered early work by Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) has sold for €400,000 (£349,000) at Dorotheum.

Charles Hanson

Hanson recruits whole Norfolk auction team

27 October 2025

Charles Hanson has made a bold move to strengthen his presence in north Norfolk by taking on the whole team previously working for Bishop & Miller in Glandford.