Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Iznik tile takes £31,000 at Dreweatts auction
03 June 2019The May 22 sale at Dreweatts of Donnington Priory titled Japanese, Islamic and Indian Works of Art included a collection of Iznik and Damascus tiles from the estate of the artist Sir Howard Hodgkin (1932-2017).
When The Beatles soldiered on regardless
03 June 2019As part of their first world tour, The Beatles played the Princess Theatre in Hong Kong twice in June 1964.
Chinese doucai vase, Edward Bawden print, Longines wristwatch – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week
31 May 2019ATG’s selection of hammer highlights over the past week includes a Chinese doucai vase making over 150-times estimate at an auction in Newbury.
Three John Constable pictures come to auction at Chiswick including portrait of his uncle
29 May 2019Following the sale of two vibrant ink on paper sketches by John Constable in March, Chiswick Auctions is to offer three more works by the Suffolk-born painter in its British & European Fine Art sale next month.
Early typewriter pushes all the right buttons at German auction
27 May 2019An example of the first commercially produced typewriter – one of only five in private hands – has sold for €100,000 at auction in Germany.
Bonhams expects record bid for Tompion’s miniature ‘Q Clock’
27 May 2019Bonhams will offer the most valuable English Golden Age clock ever to appear at auction as part of next month’s sale of the Clive collection.
Da Qian is Woolley & Wallis’s 11th £1m-plus lot
27 May 2019A painting by the celebrated Chinese 20th century artist Zhang Da Qian (1899-1983) sold for £2.3m (plus premium) at Woolley & Wallis.
Pick of the week: Gruesome way to jog your memory
27 May 2019In the Late Middle Ages the chaplet, made in many materials from boxwood to precious metals, was a commonplace aid to keep count of the repetition of prayers or the chapters read in a Book of Hours.
Pedestal tripod table finds place in the sun
27 May 2019The furniture market continues to enjoy its occasional moments in the sun. During The Pedestal’s (25% buyer’s premium) sixth sale at Moor Park, Hertfordshire, on April 30 a George III carved mahogany octagonal tripod table (estimate £12,000-18,000) sold for £24,000.
Iznik tile, Beatles ticket and Chinese treasure box – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week
24 May 2019ATG’s selection of hammer highlights over the past week includes a rare ticket for a Beatles concert in Hong Kong, an Iznik tile made in Ottoman Turkey and owned by artist Sir Howard Hodgkin, and a Qianlong cinnabar lacquer treasure box and cover.
Gandhi bronze valued on Antiques Roadshow by Philip Mould to be sold at auction next month
23 May 2019A maquette for the famous statue of Mahatma Gandhi in London’s Tavistock Square that was valued at around £20,000 on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow will come up for sale next month.
Painting by celebrated artist Zhang Da Qian takes £2.3m at Salisbury auction
22 May 2019Woolley & Wallis celebrated its 11th seven-figure lot yesterday, selling 'The Grand View of Chao Mountain' by celebrated Chinese 20th century artist Zhang Da Qian (1899-1983) for £2.3m (plus buyer’s premium).
Antique "writing ball" typewriter designed by principal of institute for the deaf stars in German auction
21 May 2019There was not one single inventor of the typewriter.
Faces from Firsts: Interviews with three exhibitors at the upcoming book fair in the capital
21 May 2019A trio of exhibitors at London’s rare book fair 'Firsts' ponder the market, their motivations – plus flooded shops and heavy metal.
International trade means keeping track of stolen items is more important than ever
21 May 2019In the wake of more high-profile book thefts, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers is tackling head-on the sometimes thorny issue of provenance.
Moorcroft charity shop donation delivers £9000
20 May 2019The recent art and design sale at Cheffins in Cambridge included these two 1930s Moorcroft tubelined vases decorated with fish – a pattern from the later years of the William Moorcroft era.
Pick of the week: Baseball ale poster is big hit with a US bidder
20 May 2019In US collecting circles the ‘Anson-Ewing Burke Ale poster’ is spoken of in hushed tones. When an example was sold by New Jersey baseball memorabilia specialist Robert Edwards Auctions for $188,000 in 2008, it was described as the best-preserved of only three known. More recently in February another was sold for $96,000 at Heritage Auctions in Dallas.
Qianlong throne tops Asian series as ‘Chenghua’ dragon dish takes flight
20 May 2019A Qianlong (1736-95) three-colour lacquer throne provided the London series of Asian art sales with its headline moment.
Judge dismisses appeal against Simon de Pury in court case over 'gentleman's agreement’
17 May 2019The Court of Appeals in London has upheld a decision that said advisor Simon de Pury was entitled to a $10m fee on the strength of a handshake agreement.
A Ming dynasty fan, a rare Beswick horse and a stamp archive – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week
17 May 2019ATG’s selection of hammer highlights over the past week includes a gold paper fan signed for a Ming dynasty calligrapher that took a multi-estimate €28,000.