Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Meissen with a Delft touch emerges in Nottingham
13 February 2026This Meissen plate painted with a view of Delft was among the contents of Lamb Close House sold by Mellors & Kirk in Nottingham on February 11.
Antique props once seen on screen, now starring in the saleroom
13 February 2026Latest sale of props from renowned company features several surprises such as Spanish revivalist chairs
Bradbury Wilkinson saved for posterity
13 February 2026Two collections of banknote designs and specimens from engraving and printing firm Bradbury Wilkinson & Company were offered at either end of 2025.
Masterpiece of numismatic neoclassical design on offer
13 February 2026The reverse to the 1817 George III crown is considered a masterpiece of numismatic neoclassical design.
Coins, banknotes and medals: It could have been a terrible year... but it certainly wasn’t
13 February 2026While fears in these uncertain times such as tariff disputes and the London market potentially moving overseas made 2025 a daunting prospect, specialists can instead look back on an encouraging period full of resilience and high prices
Royal Doulton figures add touch of character from the 1920s
13 February 2026Although he chose to work as a freelancer from a small home studio in Luton, Leslie Harradine (1887-1965) provided a regular supply of figures to Royal Doulton for almost 40 years.
Rediscovering the Order of the Thistle
13 February 2026Established in 1687 by James II (also James VII of Scotland), membership of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is in the personal gift of the sovereign, just as it is with the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit.
Modern era gold coins: The battle of the giants
13 February 2026A Ferdinand III (1608-57) 100-ducat gold piece briefly became the most expensive ‘modern era’ European gold coin ever sold at auction when it hammered for SFr1.95m (£1.83m) in Geneva.
Early America begins to emerge on a silk map
06 February 2026In this the 250th anniversary year of American Independence being declared, a rare printed silk map of British North America emerged for sale in Dorset.
Bright and beautiful 19th and early 20th century jewels shine at auction
06 February 2026This array of jewels formed part of the first tranche of a remarkable private collection sold by Catherine Southon (23% buyer’s premium) in Chislehurst.
Price and estimate for liner china oceans apart
06 February 2026Liner china – ceramics associated with shipping lines and the golden age of maritime travel – can occasionally throw up surprising results.
Wellington connection spurs on bidders at auction
06 February 2026This pair of late Georgian silver spurs are hallmarked for London 1812 and carry the maker’s mark JA, probably for the specialist buckle maker John Atkins.
Duleep Singh makes a difference once again
06 February 2026A handsome 19th century kingwood and ormolu decanter box offered by Hutchinson Scott (25% buyer’s premium) in Skipton, North Yorkshire was of particular note for its armorial and an inscription to the lock reading Maharaja Duleep Singh.
Dedicated Nelson sale: Bidding farewell to a naval hero
06 February 2026Special sale focuses on the death of Nelson, the first commoner given a state funeral
Corby Castle single-owner sale creates a stir over three days
30 January 2026The first major UK single-owner auction of the calendar year was Tennants’ three-day dispersal of art and antiques from Corby Castle in Cumbria.
Van Vianen silver plaquette surfaces in London saleroom
30 January 2026London numismatic auction house Morton & Eden is offering a silver plaquette by the great Dutch silversmith Paulus van Vianen (1570-1613).
Klein TWA poster work flies increasingly high at auction
30 January 2026Although he produced work for Broadway, Hollywood and the US Army, David Klein (1918-2005) is best remembered for the Jet Age posters he created for Howard Hughes and Trans World Airlines.
Bentzon bowl spotted by young but savvy buyer
30 January 2026Discovery recalls earliest American silversmith of African descent