Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Artist who was blown away by hot air balloons
01 July 2024With very few exceptions, the French artist Victor Philippe Lemoine-Benoit (active 1831-50) devoted almost all of his painting career to one subject: hot-air balloons of the type made famous by the Montgolfier brothers in the late 18th century.
Toxicologist with style and substances when it came to life and collecting
01 July 2024Estimated at $15,000-20,000 but hammering for $135,000 (£107,000), the highlight of the Asian works of art sale at Tenmoku (28/25/20% buyer’s premium) was a Chinese white-glazed incised dragon vase.
Two Bulgari Serpenti jewels slither into salerooms
01 July 2024Serpenti jewels, which followed the launch of Bulgari’s signature gold Tubogas bracelets in the late 1940s, were featured in Vogue and other fashion magazines on countless occasions in the Sixties.
Buyers connect with an assortment of Arts & Crafts belt buckles sold recently at auction
01 July 2024A collection of close to 100 Arts & Crafts belt buckles formed just part of the remarkable Anthony Gardner collection sold by Bellmans (25% buyer’s premium) in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, on April 16.
Marcus & Co captured the Art Nouveau colour and confidence
01 July 2024Highlights from the London Jewels sale at Bonhams on June 13
Camus classic written in poverty takes six-figure sum
01 July 2024In a private collection since it was last sold in 1991, one of only two known autograph manuscripts by author and journalist Albert Camus of his masterpiece L’Etranger was sold by Tajan (23/20/12% buyer’s premium) in Paris on June 5.
Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze seals a sensational price
01 July 2024Concept Art Gallery (22% buyer’s premium) in Pittsburgh enjoyed a sensational result at a recent sale.
Cracked in the attic: broken crockery was worth £162,000
01 July 2024A box of Chinese porcelain left in an attic in the Lincolnshire Wolds for more than two decades has sold for £162,000 at auction.
Royal approval for the work of George Michael Moser once dubbed ‘England’s favourite goldsmith’
01 July 2024Watch chatelaine offered at auction was produced by a man who created many works for the Hanoverian household
Photographer Deakin captured the Soho social whirl
01 July 2024Wirral-born photographer John Deakin (1912-72) is best-known for his uncompromisingly honest portraits of the Soho art scene of the 1950s and 60s.
Scarpa’s brush with success when it came to glass making
01 July 2024The Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-78) designed for Venini from 1932-47, creating around 30 different ranges.
Automatic peeler with lots of appeal
01 July 2024Over 100 patents for mechanical apple parers were granted in the US between 1850-90.
Fabergé’s cool creations ‘inspired by ice crystals’
01 July 2024Fabergé’s rock crystal, platinum, silver and diamond ‘ice flower’ jewels were made by the workmaster Albert Holmström, c.1913-14, after designs made by his niece Alma Pihl (1888-1976).
Picq your interest in the Parisian designer
01 July 2024The Parisian workshop of Henri Picq does not have quite the name recognition of Cartier or LaCloche, but it was nonetheless responsible for supplying both houses with some of the most exceptional jewellery of the early 20th century.
Crouching Venus copy makes a stand-out sum
01 July 2024On the market for the first time in over half a century, a Roman marble copy of the Crouching Venus hammered at $130,000 (£103,000) in the Freeman’s Hindman (27/21/15% buyer’s premium) auction on May 23.
Elaborate Italian Renaissance armour emerges for public auction
28 June 2024Elaborate Italian Renaissance armour emerges for public auction
Daoguang bowls left in attic fetch £162,000 at auction
28 June 2024A box of Chinese porcelain left in an attic in the Lincolnshire Wolds for more than two decades sold for £162,000 at auction.
Tompion table clock stolen 31 years ago comes to auction following agreement
26 June 2024Bonhams’ Fine Clocks sale on July 3 includes a table clock by Thomas Tompion (1639-1713) that comes for sale via an unorthodox route.
California dreaming as rediscovered Hockney drawing brings £320,000
25 June 2024A large prime period ‘California’ drawing by David Hockney, recently rediscovered by Chiswick Auctions, has sold for £320,000.
