Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Cecil Beaton vase bought in 1950s comes to auction
06 November 2026A Steuben crystal vase featuring a design by Cecil Beaton which was created for a prestigious New York exhibition in 1954 is coming to market for the first time in over seven decades.
Fab Four continue to thrill: recent sales from autographs and records to a front door key and fridge
06 November 2026Beatlemania never stops. Hardly ever slows down, in fact.
Arms and armour: Missillier marvels reflect taste of a market master
06 November 2026Italian helmet heads sale of sought-after items from the French scholar, expert and dealer
Volley good show as another Nock gun appears
06 November 2026One of the most instantly recognisable – and popular – firearms seen at auction is the Nock seven-barrelled flintlock smoothbore volley gun.
Farsi’s Islamic arms and armour treasures take centre stage in London auction
06 November 2026Credited with having the greatest group of modern Egyptian art in private hands, Dr Mohammed Said Farsi (1936-2019) was also a dedicated collector of Islamic arms and armour.
Sporting gun ‘presented by Napoleon’ leads the field in a single-owner collection
06 November 2026A flintlock sporting gun presented by Napoleon Bonaparte is estimated at £70,000-100,000 in a single-owner collection at Charterhouse in Sherborne on November 11.
Rock memorabilia lot to leave you thunderstruck
06 November 2026If you picture a classic image of AC/DC guitarist Angus Young on stage, it will inevitably involve his trademark schoolboy outfit with cap.
Pick of the week: Superman takes flight for first time but not in a US publication
30 October 2026American comic fans may have seen Superman’s debut in print but the superhero’s first flight came up in a British publication.
Plucky poodle saved lives... and a big payout
30 October 2026Zulu was a very alert poodle. The plucky pooch averted disaster by barking to draw attention at an early stage to a fire which had broken out in his Glasgow home on December 26, 1897.
Matthew’s Bible combined the work of Tyndale and Coverdale
30 October 2026Generally considered to be the first English bible, the ‘Matthew’s Version’ or ‘Matthew’s Bible’ was brought out under the superintendence of John Rogers (c.1500-55) and joins together the works of William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale.
Tree or not tree, that is the question
23 October 2026The top of this Regency pollard oak table features 52 oyster-veneered panels of mulberry wood, purportedly from the tree in William Shakespeare’s garden in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Rare banknotes sale boosts charity
16 October 2026Rare specimen banknotes from around the world donated to a British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop in Edinburgh have raised £85,860 in total at auction to help fund research.
Bidders compete for Gerard's 1633 botanical work
16 October 2026Copy of revised 1633 edition of Gerard’s famous botanical work The Herball stands out in west London
Pick of the week: Märklin ship sparks an electric shock result at auction
09 October 2026A Märklin tinplate ocean liner toy ship from c.1905-12 estimated at £250-300 steamed away on sale day in Nottingham at a hammer price of £24,000.
Spotlight on Therond photography collection
02 October 2026As Paris Photo (November 12-15) prepares to welcome collectors from around the world, Christie’s is offering more than 350 photographs from the Roger Therond Collection across three sales taking place in Paris on November 13-14, and online from November 6-17.