Latest News Articles by Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Silver linings as Sir Robert Walpole’s first seal salver sells at $190,000
15 May 2026Sir Robert Walpole’s first seal salver re-emerged from a century in a US private collection to sell for a hammer price of $190,000 (£140,500) in New York.
‘Try to find another one that’s not in a museum’
01 May 2026This Flemish Baroque carved ebony table cabinet shown below opens to reveal intricate silk needlework images of flowers to the inside of its three doors.
De László portraits rediscovered in North Carolina auction
01 May 2026Two pictures relating to the family of former US president George HW Bush added to catalogue raisonné
Big bucks for British documents as James I royal warrant and Trafalgar order of battle emerge
01 May 2026Two choice British documents emerged across two different sales at Amherst, New Hampshire firm RR Auction (25% buyer’s premium).
Ignatius Sancho second edition sells in New York
01 May 2026Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, an African, tells the remarkable story of an African born on a British slave ship who earned a place among the London elite.
Dublin-made Egyptian revival mirror brings competition between 16 bidders
01 May 2026An Irish Regency overmantel mirror in Egyptian Revival style by the Dublin artisan Joshua Kearney (1797-1849) hammered for $22,000 (£16,400) against a $6000-8000 guide at Andrew Jones Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Los Angeles.
Buyer splashes out on British wine and water ewers connected to American high society
01 May 2026A pair of Edwardian wine and water ewers by London silversmith Sydney Bellamy Harman, 1910, tied for the most-expensive lot at a recent Doyle (28% buyer’s premium) auction.
Get your claws into Supersol
01 May 2026A rare vinyl and rubber Supersol monster toy seized top-lot status with its vivid blue-green vinyl claws at a recent sale at Landry Pop Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) in Lambertville, New Jersey.
Gallé sideboard ripe for a new owner
01 May 2026According to the lot notes, 11 wood veneers from Macassar ebony to burr maple were used in making the c.1903 Émile Gallé Épis de Blé sideboard.
Walpole’s first ‘seal’ salver found in New York comes to auction
17 April 2026An historic piece of Georgian silver – the ‘pair’ to the famed Walpole ‘seal salver’ in the Victoria & Albert Museum – is being offered for sale following its recent rediscovery in New York.
Hemingway’s fishing flag of triumph reels in $170,000
10 April 2026The legend of author Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) is forever linked with sport fishing.
The trick is to keep it original when it comes to magical content
10 April 2026Magic books library reflects obsession of collector who prized exceptionally clean examples
Ehret record price grows as magnolia blossoms in the US
10 April 2026An original Georg Dionysius Ehret illustration of a magnolia blossom hammered for $330,000 (£242,000) at Arader Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) on February 7 in New York.
Martinware comes good in the end
02 April 2026Lacklustre pre-sale activity leaves Canadian auction house concerned but all 17 lots sell successfully
Awarded to Harold Wilson of Huddersfield – but not the PM
02 April 2026AH Wilkens (22% buyer’s premium) worded the lot notes carefully.
Hammer Horror hammers at $55,000
02 April 2026Two 20th century posters in quite different genres set records at auction in early March.
Leech jars suck up the interest
02 April 2026Though leeches do remain in the pharmacopeia, they’re no longer stored in the ceramic jars and urns common to pharmacies of the 18th and 19th century.
Morse made it as a professional artist not just co-creator of code
20 March 2026Samuel FB Morse (1791-1872) is today best known for his contributions to the creation of the single-wire telegraph system and the co-creator of the Morse code.
British trophies win big in the US
20 March 2026High quality sporting cups for Cowes Week yachting and Indian horse racing sell to American bidders
Buffalo Bill postcard backs up poster sale at Las Vegas auction
20 March 2026A hitherto unknown c.1902 lithographic poster for Buffalo Bill’s famed Wild West show hammered for $40,000 (£29,510) at Morphy Auctions (23% buyer’s premium) in Las Vegas.