Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Another bite into Monreith House treats includes a Vampyre tale
07 August 2026Following furnishings in Edinburgh, a Carlisle sale offers books from the library of Clan Maxwell seat
Bagpuss, Ivor, Noggin and friends star at auction
06 August 2026Around 500 original artworks by the late Peter Firmin (1928-2018) – co-creator of Bagpuss, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, The Clangers and Basil Brush – were sold in a remarkable sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries.
Safavid cuerda seca tiles from Isfahan masterpiece shine in Gloucestershire
31 July 2026The July 16 antiques sale at Dominic Winter in South Cerney included four 17th century Safavid cuerda seca tiles from the collection of Jack Webb.
Titanic rarity: White Star tickets fly above estimate in Dorset auction
27 July 2026A sale at Duke’s in Dorchester this week included two tickets related to the launching of two of the Olympic class liners in Belfast in 1911.
Antiquities and coin specialist Richard Falkiner dies
24 July 2026Renowned coin expert and long-standing contributor to Antiques Trade Gazette, Richard Falkiner, has died at the age of 90.
Pleased as punch with Gorham Martelé silver bowl
24 July 2026A Gorham Martelé silver punch bowl made for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St Louis sold for $120,000 (£89,700) at Freeman’s in Chicago.
Cultural goods import regime: EU is failing in its aims, says leading lawyer
24 July 2026One year after the EU’s ‘new’ cultural goods import regime became fully operational, a leading arts and culture lawyer says the EU is failing in its stated objective of combating illicit trade.
Roman mosaic panels roam to London saleroom via Austria
24 July 2026A recent sale of ancient art at Apollo Art Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) included a series of Roman polychrome mosaic panels that came for sale from a private London collection.
Taxidermist Walter Potter became animated by anthropomorphic topics
24 July 2026Walter Potter (1835-1918) was an extraordinary Victorian.
Cheap and cheerful White Star Line souvenir now worth £1600 at auction
24 July 2026Britannic was the third and last of the White Star Line’s Olympic class of ocean liners.
‘Balloon-mania’ blows in to Welsh saleroom
24 July 2026Italian adventurer Vincenzo Lunardi (1759-1806) first demonstrated his hot air balloon in London on September 15, 1784.
Anglo-Indian silver in strong shape
24 July 2026West London auction house takes second-highest result for Anglo-Indian silver thanks to tea service by a celebrated maker
Buyer relishes the chance to own a rare Prattware advertising plaque
17 July 2026South Yorkshire bottle and advertising specialist BBR Auctions set a new house record with the sale of this Prattware advertising plaque for a remarkable £45,000.
Buy a Halifax before the brand disappears
17 July 2026This 1920s advertising poster for Halifax Building Society features the text 'You choose the House We find the Money'.
Dent ‘explorer’ owned by Rhodes came via his batman
17 July 2026A silver Dent ‘explorers’ watch once owned by the imperialist Cecil Rhodes sold for £7200 at a recent sale at Hansons Holloways (28% buyer’s premium) in Banbury.
Do harp on about famous connections when selling musical instruments
17 July 2026Two 19th century harps with interesting ownership histories emerged at different salerooms in the space of two days.
Bidders splash out on rare survivors of fabulous fountains
17 July 2026Lots offer elements that once featured on much larger spectacular 19th century creations
Later ‘Boy and chicken’ cups paid homage to Ming masterpieces
17 July 2026Qianlong (1735-96) period ‘Boy and chicken’ cups typically pay homage to those made in the Ming period – particularly the celebrated Chenghua (1464-87) doucai prototypes that have long been considered among the greatest Chinese porcelains.