Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Georgian candle wall lights survive to go electric on sale day
23 January 2026The highlight of the latest Country House sale held by Duggleby Stephenson (25% buyer’s premium) of York was the part contents of the Kirkham Hall estate in North Yorkshire.
Rare Aussie Matchbox bus bidding stops only at £9000
23 January 2026Pitched with an estimate of £2000-3000, a Matchbox bus offered by Oberon (20% buyer’s premium) clearly had something special for collectors to savour.
Full first edition, first impression set of Lord of the Rings makes new high at auction
16 January 2026A set of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings realised a premium-inclusive $250,000 (£187,500) at Heritage Auctions of Dallas.
The original drawing for the winning design of the FA Cup in 1911 is coming to auction with saleroom Budds
15 January 2026A drawing giving a first glimpse of the now instantly recognisable trophy from the oldest national football competition in the world will be offered at auction next month.
Fraudster metal detectorist sentenced after passing off modern reproductions bought online as Roman artefacts
13 January 2026A man who claimed to have found a significant Roman brooch while metal detecting in Lincolnshire has been sentenced after admitting he had actually bought the item on eBay.
Beatrix Potter mania among collectors brings in father Rupert
09 January 2026A scarce copy of Beatrix Potter’s 'The Fairy Caravan' sold for £3000 in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) Books, Maps & Manuscripts Sale.
Smoke detectors in the saleroom: bidders focus on a super tobacconist's figure
09 January 2026This carved wooden tobacconist figure or ‘Cigar Indian’ came to Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) auction in Send, Surrey, by descent through the vendor’s family.
Whisper about a Blyton debut
09 January 2026A rare first edition of Enid Blyton’s first published book, Child Whispers, hammered at £1400 in the Thomson Roddick (20% buyer’s premium) book sale on December 4.
Hero for both Leicester City and Scarborough fans
09 January 2026Not that many footballers can be “as deeply woven into Leicester City and Scarborough football history as Colin Appleton (1936-2021)”, it is true.
Member of the still undefeated GB tug of war team pulls in £6000 at auction
09 January 2026Did you know that Great Britain are still the Olympic tug of war champions? The City of London Police Team competed for GB in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, winning gold – and the category has not appeared since at a Games.
The rarest Wisden – but which version?
09 January 2026Auctioneer finds out there are two variations of the 1875 guide, but a record is achieved nevertheless
Goalkeeper Pat Jennings dons white gloves for a sell-out auction
09 January 2026Once renowned for achievements wearing goalkeeping gloves, Pat Jennings (b.1945) achieved an auction white-glove result when his memorabilia collection sold out at Budds (24% buyer’s premium).
Children’s classic The Velveteen Rabbit clinches £5000
09 January 2026While not instantly familiar to many non-American readers, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1881-1944) has never been out of print and its many reprints have sold over a million copies in the US alone.
No medal but a mini trophy instead for Premier League winner Paul Parker
09 January 2026Paul Parker will be fondly remembered by many England fans of a certain vintage for his role in the 1990 World Cup campaign (ignore the deflection over Peter Shilton for West Germany’s semi-final opener).
More than 1000 lots from Cumbrian castle offered at Tennants
05 January 2026An extensive collection of art, antiques and silver from Corby Castle, one of Cumbria’s most historically important mansion houses, will go under the hammer in a three-day sale at Tennants from January 22-24.
Andy Pandy and friends fascinate older fans
05 January 2026An original Andy Pandy string puppet from the BBC children’s TV show of the same name first aired in 1950 caught the attention at a Kent auction 75 years later.
Punk band Discharge were championed by Peel
05 January 2026John Lennon, Yoko Ono and U2 were among the big names making big prices at the John Peel Collection Part One auction held by Omega (25% buyer's premium) back in September (see ATG No 2708).
Not a ticket to ride for Paul McCartney but a licence to drive yourself
05 January 2026Paul McCartney famously sang ‘Baby, You Can Drive My Car’ with the Beatles but he could clearly drive himself.