Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
The last hurrah: Sworders to offer dealer’s stock without reserve as Guinevere Antiques finally closes
20 January 2025After 61 years on the King’s Road, Guinevere Antiques shut its doors for the last time at Christmas.
Extraordinary late imperial Russian enamels on offer in US saleroom
20 January 2025Market for imperial Russian works of art appears to have shifted to US given global circumstances
Fijian collection came from missionary Miss Tookey
20 January 2025The core of the December 10 Out of Europe sale at the Cardiff rooms of Rogers Jones (22% buyer’s premium) was formed by the collection of Miss Annie Elizabeth Tookey.
Joshua Reynolds portrait leads sale of banker Bernard Kelly’s collection
17 January 2025Lyon & Turnbull sold the collection of the banker and financier Bernard Kelly (1930-2022) at The Mall Galleries in London on January 15.
Long-lost Cartier Egyptian revival jewel emerges at Salisbury auction
15 January 2025A long-lost Cartier Egyptian revival jewel, previously known from an advert in ‘The Illustrated London News’, has been rediscovered.
Collection of Barbara Hepworth drawings and working notes sells at Chiswick Auctions
15 January 2025An archive of annotated sketches and correspondence showing the working methods of sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975) sold for £20,000 at the end of last year.
Christie’s to sell Mothercare founder’s prominent silver collection
14 January 2025The kunstkammer collection assembled over half a century by Selim Zilkha (1927-2022), founder of Mothercare, comes for sale in New York next month.
Ashbee peacock necklace struts its stuff
13 January 2025A textbook example of British Arts & Crafts jewellery – a Guild of Handicraft peacock pendant necklace designed by Charles Robert Ashbee – sold for $35,000 (£28,100) in the US at the end of 2024.
The hand of Thomas Lawrence: Second version of Lady Suffield portrait offered at Chiswick Auctions
13 January 2025A rediscovered work by Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) and his studio comes for sale at Chiswick Auctions on January 21.
Thunderbirds are going, going, gone at auction
13 January 2025A rare group of Fairylite Thunderbirds action figures sold for £2100 in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) latest Toys, Models, Collectables & Sporting sale.
Wartime Mouseman shows ‘striking’ colour contrast to Seventies pieces
13 January 2025A suite of three oak panelled bedroom pieces with original invoices from the Robert Thompson workshop were the stand-out lots at a recent sale at Gildings (24% buyer’s premium) of Market Harborough.
Estimate-buster: Roman marble sells at three times the top guide
13 January 2025A Roman marble portrait bust of an Antonine prince emerged Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) sale in Stansted Mountfitchet.
Grendey style shines through as English walnut chairs bring demand
13 January 2025A pair of English walnut chairs sailed above expectations to bring £17,000 at HRD Auction Rooms (20% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Brading on the Isle of Wight.
Suffragette scarf rarity motors to £7500
13 January 2025A Books, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs sale that ran online at Bonhams Knightsbridge (28/27/21/14.5% buyer’s premium) included a fine group of Suffragette textiles. A particular rarity is the Votes for Women ‘motoring’ scarf.
Early football memorabilia hits the spot
13 January 2025A cornerstone in any early football library is 'Association Football & The Men Who Made It', the history of the modern game in its first half-a-century as written by Alfred Gibson and William Pickford and published by Caxton in 1905.
Extraordinary English bird book tops estimate in Ireland
13 January 2025Over 300 watercolours were produced for each one of the 60 copies of a remarkable ornithological work
Frankenstein comes to the stage
13 January 2025Based on Mary Shelley’s novel published in 1818, the play 'Frankenstein; or the Man and the Monster, A Romantic Melo-Drama, in Two Acts' debuted at the Royal Coburg Theatre in July 1826.
Ban on selling antique scrimshaw to come into effect this month
08 January 2025The UK’s ban on the trade in antique scrimshaw and narwhal tusks will come into force on January 28.