Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Cannon combines naval technology with aristocratic flair
16 June 2025A George III cast bronze two-pounder sold on June 3 came from a group of 12 cast for a commission by second Viscount William Courtenay, most probably for his private yacht Dolphin in 1775. The cannon was later removed to Powderham Castle, Devon.
Louis Vuitton trunk steams in to the saleroom and takes £130,000
12 June 2025A scarce Louis Vuitton wardrobe steamer trunk dating from the 1920s or earlier sold for £130,000 hammer (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at John Nicholson’s on June 11.
Anglo-Saxon panel to stay in UK after crowdfunding
09 June 2025An Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet panel bought at a Spink auction last year and blocked from export will stay in the UK after a successful crowdfunding campaign by a local history trust.
Swiss-based collection gives worldwide access to Chinese map of ‘all under Heaven’
09 June 2025One of only three known surviving copies of a rare 1644 century Chinese woodblock map has been bought by The Sunderland Collection.
Nirvana: in front of 700 in Bristol
09 June 2025Before hitting stratospheric heights, US grunge rockers Nirvana were playing on a European tour in late 1991 in front of crowd of 700 at one point.
Classic works at auction by ‘the first significant British painter of nudes and still-lifes’
09 June 2025Two paintings of trademark male nudes by British artist William Etty (1789-1849) emerged in a US saleroom as part of the collection of a university lecturer.
John Bonham drumhead saved from bonfire (but not Alice Cooper guillotine)
09 June 2025The only known bass drumhead featuring John Bonham’s personal symbol – the interlocking rings that became his mark after Led Zeppelin’s fourth album – hammered at $70,000 (£53,000) at Heritage (25% buyer’s premium) in Dallas.
Sharp shakes up Bob Dylan as Mr Tambourine Man including a poster proof version
09 June 2025A suitably psychedelic 1967 poster of Bob Dylan, designed by Martin Sharp, fetched £900 at the James & Sons (25% buyer’s premium inc VAT) auction in Fakenham on January 15.
Posters show how bands graduated from uni gigs to much bigger stages
09 June 2025Now famous for a career of filling stadiums as one of the biggest and most successful bands in the world, Pink Floyd played more humble venues back in the day.
The ‘Holy Grail’ record sleeve with nothing inside
09 June 2025“A Holy Grail moment for collectors worldwide” was the promise from Merseyside auction house Omega (29/35% buyer’s premium inc VAT) when a scarce picture sleeve came for sale.
Tens of thousands of records collected over more than 60 years come to auction
09 June 2025“This has been the biggest single cataloguing job of my career - an extraordinary experience,” said John Silke, vinyl specialist of Surrey saleroom Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium).
'Outstanding' gold artefact saved for the nation after crowdfunding campaign
04 June 2025A rare Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet panel bought at a Spink auction last year and blocked from export will stay in the UK after a successful crowdfunding campaign by a local history trust.
Extinct species skeleton brings £17,000 result
02 June 2025This skeleton of an extinct cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) sold for £17,000 in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) Natural History and Taxidermy Sale.
Fossils feature strongly at Parnham Park house sale
02 June 2025Talk of ‘mammoth’ sales usually entails a sizeable selection of lots.
Shanghai municipal medal shoots past estimate in a popular collecting market
02 June 2025A lot offering a Shanghai Municipal Jubilee Medal, November 17, 1893, proved so appealing that it sold at five times the top estimate.
Touch of Finland taken to Manhattan comes to auction
02 June 2025In 1948, Finnish designer Paavo Tynell (1890-1973) undertook one of the most ambitious projects of his career.
Nuts about novelty silver: Crichton claret jug nets £36,000
26 May 2025This bright-eyed and bushy-tailed claret jug designed in 1882 by Alexander Crichton sold at a hammer price of £36,000 at Tennants of North Yorkshire.
First part of spectacular Traveller Collection roars into the saleroom
26 May 2025The first part of an auction series offering a remarkable array of coins buried in Europe for over 50 years to prevent them from being looted during Nazi invasion kicked off with a focus on British and colonial milled coins from Charles II to George V.