Latest News Articles by Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Advertising board and epergne with British links shoot to high sums at a US auction
20 March 2026Witherell (25/26% buyer’s premium) in Sacramento, California, posted healthy results for two markedly different lots of British origin: a scarce sporting cartridge advertising display and a silver epergne.
Icart print given beauty treatment at LA auction
20 March 2026The 1931 etching, drypoint, and aquatint titled Two Beauties by French artist Louis Icart (1888-1950) features subjects he knew and loved.
Kelly captures look of a mysterious lady in black
13 March 2026Eton pupil and Cambridge graduate Sir Gerald Festus Kelly (1879-1972) threw himself into art studies in Paris and ultimately became a successful society portraitist.
Cloisonné enamel presentation cup by Rückert screams quality right away to a thrilled auctioneer
13 March 2026Within a matter of a week, two US auction houses sold works of Russian decorative art from the era of Tsar Nicholas II for six-figure sums.
City of London salutes Arctic explorer Ross with a freedom box
13 March 2026A piece of British naval history and polar exploration history appeared at Millea Bros (25% buyer’s premium) in Boonton, New Jersey.
Mystery Old Master leg kicks $200-400 estimate aside to take $45,000
13 February 2026An Italian Old Master drawing of a left leg strode to a hammer price of $45,000 (£33,515) on January 8 at Eldred’s (28% buyer’s premium) in East Dennis, Massachusetts.
English silver impresses at two US salerooms on the same day
13 February 2026Two lots of antique English silver trounced their estimates on the same day at New York state auction houses located less than 30 miles apart.
Go large for an exceptional Meiji vase
16 January 2026A recent sale at Marion Antique Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Marion, Massachusetts included a large Meiji vase by Kanamori Soshichi (1821-92).
Devon harvest jug reaps reward across the Atlantic
16 January 2026Dovecotes also cause a flutter in North Carolina as British pottery achieves strong prices
Edgar Allan Poe captured in pioneering photo form
09 January 2026As he died more than a decade before the medium really took off, very few photographs of the American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) exist.
Collectors steer towards a P&O boat tiller that probably served as a presentation piece
09 January 2026A handsome 19th century brass boat tiller hammered for $15,000 (£11,235) at Zevantiques (25% buyer’s premium) in Hallandale, Florida.
Munnings thinks outside the box to create an uncommon work
09 January 2026Lurking among the equestrian portraits in a sale held by The Sporting Art Auction (17.5% buyer’s premium) was an atypical work by Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959).
René Lalique jewellery makes Cottone auction debut
09 January 2026A recent sale marked the first time that the Geneseo, New York, house Cottone Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) has handled a piece of René Lalique (1860-1945) jewellery.
Early example of Gallé in demand as Japonisme foo dog vase makes seven times estimate
09 January 2026A Japonisme foo dog vase by Émile Gallé (1846-1904) hammered for $35,000 (£26,440) against a guide of $3000-5000 at Rago (27% buyer’s premium) in Lambertville, New Jersey.
Japanese robot-driven car toy sells at $190,000
09 January 2026“Very few things make me that excited. But this was a really exciting thing.” Tom Sage Jr’s faith was rewarded in September.
The stars aligned for Harvard professor and book collector
05 January 2026Expert in astronomy and history of science amassed an impressive private collection of related works
Rare Darwin signature takes lot to different level
15 December 2025Before the August 8 Historical Manuscripts sale at Heritage Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Dallas, specialist Sandra Palomino fielded many questions about one lot in particular.
Douglass was free to speak about slavery when in GB
15 December 2025Draft of a speech by the author written when he had fled US slavery appears for sale in modern-day Ohio
Four Armory Show catalogues come to auction bound as one
15 December 2025Four complete catalogues for the ground-breaking 1913 Armory Show, bound into a single volume, hammered for $7000 (£5315) against a guide of $10,000-15,000 at Swann (27% buyer’s premium) on October 23 in New York City.
Doulton Portia takes centre stage
08 December 2025Sir Henry Doulton placed great importance on international exhibitions to promote the work of both of his factories.