Latest News Articles by Sheila Gibson Stoodley
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.
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).