Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Waterloo prints in medal form
20 April 2020Among the most successful printing projects marking the Napoleonic Wars were the series of aquatints by Thomas Sutherland (1785-1838) after watercolours by the young William Heath (c.1795-1840) titled The Martial Achievements of Great Britain and Her Allies from 1799 to 1815.
Shared love of blue and white pottery
20 April 2020Sir William Whitfield and Andrew Lockwood shared a love of English blue and white transfer printed pottery and associated pearlwares and creamwares.
Collectable inkwell makes over ten-times estimate in Lincoln
20 April 2020Novelty inkwells such as this one modelled as a miniature six-bolt diving helmet and corselet were made by the Siebe Gorman works in Chessington, south-west London, as promotional giveaways or gifts to staff on employment milestones or retirement.
Kangxi – but badly damaged
20 April 2020It is badly damaged, but this large shallow dish offered by Aldridges of Bath (20% buyer’s premium) is an outstanding example of Kangxi mark and period famille verte porcelain.
Pick of the week: Beatlemania: poster sets auction record
13 April 2020For their first appearance at the 55,000-seater Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, in 1965, The Beatles needed no promotion. At the height of Beatlemania in the US, the venue sold out in minutes.
Comerford miniatures bought by single bidder
13 April 2020The Comerford collection of portrait miniatures, offered for sale by Chiswick Auctions last month, was acquired almost in its entirety by a single bidder.
Auction previews: issue 2438
13 April 2020The auction calendar has been much changed by Covid-19 restrictions. However, as indicated by these lots offered for sale in April, some UK auction houses continue to transact behind closed doors holding ‘live online’ sales with bids taken via bidding platforms such as thesaleroom.com or over the phone.
Rolex Submariner leads selection of watches that tick the boxes
13 April 2020Since its launch in 1953 there have been well over a dozen distinct references of the Rolex Submariner, with all sorts of minutiae adding up to several hundred different variants.
Lyon & Turnbull show how live performances create a show with a buzz
13 April 2020Although premises are closed, online selling can help to create a sale day sense of excitement
Jackson Type I typewriter, Waterloo officer’s pistols and Lord Mayor’s letter – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
10 April 2020ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a rare early typewriter that sold above estimate in Germany.
ILAB to hold Covid 19 Crisis webinar
09 April 2020The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) is to hold a webinar today (Thursday April 9) to discuss trading difficulties during the coronavirus shutdown.
Cat’s out of the bag – May emerges from behind the Morris curtain
06 April 2020Although often overshadowed by her famous father William, May Morris (1862-1938) was herself an important figure in the British Arts & Crafts movement.
Pick of the week: The Kashmir shawl of a former governor of India
06 April 2020The recent auction held ‘live online’ by Aldridges of Bath included this spectacular hand-woven north Indian long shawl, or dochalla. It came with a colonial provenance.
Kookaburra flies into Cumbrian saleroom
06 April 2020Maud O’Reilly (1886-1971), a key figure in Queensland’s Arts & Crafts movement and a student of the LJ Harvey school, showed her pottery at a number of British exhibitions in the mid 1920s.
Edwardian footballer's career and tragic ending remembered in memorabilia sale
06 April 2020The first 20 lots of the recent football memorabilia sale at Stacey’s in Rayleigh, Essex came from the family of the Edwardian player Benjamin Warren (1879-1917).
Auction explorers locate rare silver pocket watch
06 April 2020An unusual late Victorian silver pocket watch by Herbert Blockley of London sold for an unexpected £2800 at Potteries Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Stoke-on- Trent.
Spring auction brings varied array of Asian art to Lewes along with European treats
06 April 2020A cross-section of Asian art – Qing porcelain, Meiji Satsuma and Euro-Asiatic ivories – provided the prizes at Gorringe’s (21% buyer’s premium) spring sale held in Lewes.
Rare ‘Brooks slavery ship’ creamware beaker with a dark tale sells at Nottingham auction
06 April 2020A rare creamware transfer printed and painted beaker offered for sale by Mellors & Kirk (20% buyer’s premium) in Nottingham told a dark tale.
Linthorpe pottery dish showing how Christopher Dresser looked to Fiji for inspiration sells in Rotherham
06 April 2020A Linthorpe pottery dish designed for the Middlesbrough pottery by Dr Christopher Dresser sold online well over a £400-600 estimate for £4200 at Paul Beighton (17.5% buyer’s premium).
Constance Spry wall pockets for flowers rated high by devotees
06 April 2020Responsible for the flowers at the Queen’s coronation, the society florist Constance Spry (1886-1960) is also credited with the ‘democratisation’ of flower arranging.