Latest News Articles by Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Rietveld pieces boast provenance back to very beginning
25 August 2025Two early furnishings by the Dutch designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964) beat their guides at Wright (27% buyer’s premium) in Chicago, Illinois. Both came with primary provenances.
First print to show game of ‘goff’ emerges in New York auction
25 August 2025A cherished piece of golf history came for sale at Carlsen Gallery (20% buyer’s premium) in Freehold, New York, and commanded a significant sum.
Claret jug is toast of both Cincinnati and Stourbridge
25 August 2025A claret jug combining the talents of Stevens & Williams of Stourbridge in the UK and US firm Duhme & Co from Cincinnati crushed its $2000-3000 guide to hammer for $35,000 (£25,890).
French 17th century cabinet stands out as a favourite for a US specialist
25 August 2025Auction house expert eulogises about a French 17th century piece of furniture ‘jewel for the eyes’
Mainland Chinese buyers out in force for Virginia auction
25 August 2025Buyers from mainland China propelled Asian lots at Quinn’s Auction Galleries (27% buyer’s premium) far beyond their guides at a recent sale in Falls Church, Virginia.
Herbert and Huxley classics in original jackets taken to record results at Heritage Auctions
14 July 2025A recent rare books sale at Heritage Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in the US delivered strong performances for a handful of coveted 20th century firsts in dust jackets.
Batt’s donkeys charm animal-loving US bidders
14 July 2025Based in Lyndhurst in southern England, the late Victorian painter Arthur Batt (1846-1911) ploughed his artistic furrow painting dogs and donkeys either as portraits or in New Forest settings.
Art Nouveau cabinet displays Michaut talent
14 July 2025A fine example of French Art Nouveau furniture more than doubled its high estimate at Collective Hudson (30% buyer’s premium) in Kingston, New York.
‘This is where the Venn diagram between Tiffany glass and jewellery overlaps’
14 July 2025A Louis Comfort Tiffany pendant-necklace with matching ear clips in gold, star sapphire, moonstones, and enamel hammered for $200,000 (£148,000) at Doyle (28/27% buyer’s premium).
Rare ambrotype photograph takes 30-times estimate at auction
14 July 2025Image possibly showing co-creator of the ambrotype brings major bidding battle in the US
Compelling canine eyes draw you in
07 July 2025This 18 x 15in (45 x 38cm) oil portrait of an English springer spaniel is by the great Orientalist Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).
Luxury car company may have skimped on poster artist
07 July 2025Rolling to top lot honours in New York at Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) was a 1929 poster for the long defunct automotive brand Pierce-Arrow.
Sex sells: The Pearl erotic magazine
07 July 2025The notorious Victorian-era erotic magazine 'The Pearl' (subtitled 'Journal of Facetiae and Voluptuous Reading') was published by William Lazenby in London between July 1879 and December 1880.
Ornithologist provenance trumps pope, cardinal and king owners
07 July 2025Watercolour can be traced back to nobleman and antiquary who commissioned the illustrator Leonardi
Lalique fox mascot with ‘many imperfections’ still takes $27,000 at US auction
07 July 2025One of the rarest of all of the 31 car mascots made by Lalique from 1925-31 came up for auction at Jeffrey Evans & Associates (25% buyer’s premium) in Mount Crawford, Virginia.
Fleming signature boosts rare copy of Bond
07 July 2025The presence of the author’s signature dramatically enhanced the value of a copy of Ian Fleming’s (1908-64) first collection of James Bond short stories 'For Your Eyes Only' offered at an auction at University Archives (25% buyer’s premium).
Woolf takes bidders to the lighthouse
07 July 2025Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) recorded head-turning sales during its series of New York sales in May.
Works of Confucius with French royal twist
07 July 2025A foundation document of Western sinology appeared at Freeman’s Hindman (28% buyer’s premium) in Chicago.
Landseer view of a loch without animal life brightens US auction
07 July 2025British artist famed for The Monarch of the Glen also painted landscapes for his own pleasure
The ‘Mignon’ who eventually married Rodin
16 June 2025A bronze cast of the Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) bust 'Mignon' hammered for $97,500 (£73,350) at Black Rock Galleries in Fairfield, Connecticut.