Collectables

The term ‘collectables’ (or collectibles) encompasses a vast range of items in fields as diverse as arms, armour and militaria, bank notes, cameras, coins, entertainment and sporting memorabilia, stamps, taxidermy, wines and writing equipment.

Some collectables are antiques, others are classed as retro, vintage or curios but all are of value to the collector. In any of these fields, buyers seek out rarities and items with specific associations.

De Jode map

First World War trench maps and a 16th century cordiform world map are among the highlights at the next London Map Fair

21 May 2026

Returning to Royal Geographical Society in Kensington, the London Map Fair is known as the largest antique map fair in Europe.

Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair

International buyers boost latest Firsts book fair

20 May 2026

Buyers from overseas helped sales boom at the latest Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair this month.

A Steve Bloomer card by J Baines

Bloomer card scores at £24,000

19 May 2026

Collectable featuring Derby County and England football legend shoots way above estimate.

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Buyer gets a grip on exceptional Louis XV cane handle

15 May 2026

Among the highlights of the Fine Jewellery sale at Adam’s in Dublin on May 12 was this remarkable Louis XV hardstone, gold and gemset cane handle.

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Captain Cook medal to go on display after selling at Tennants

15 May 2026

A rare 18th century medal issued to commemorate the death of explorer James Cook is to become part of an exhibition marking the 300th anniversary of the explorer’s birth after being sold at auction.

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Hondius extras make a world of difference to Mercator maps

15 May 2026

Jodocus Hondius’ additions for his edition of Gerhard Mercator’s pioneering 'Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi et Fabricati Figura' made the work one of the most accomplished collections of maps from the early 17th century.

ATG letter: Casino Royale leapt to £29,000 in our sale

15 May 2026

Just a small thing, I saw that you wrote in ATG No 2743 that £22,500 for Casino Royale was, you believed, the joint-highest price for a straight, uninscribed copy.

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Bowl ‘given by the Bonnie Prince during wanderings’ finds new home at English auction

15 May 2026

An intriguing Jacobite relic was sold at a recent Mellors & Kirk (24% buyer’s premium) auction in Nottingham.

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How bible translations in China spread the word

15 May 2026

One of two translated versions that appeared almost simultaneously emerges in German saleroom

Books and works on paper auction calendar, May 19 to June 4, 2026

15 May 2026

Our regular listing of UK and Irish sales of books and works on paper

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Letters from French and Scottish queens who shared tragic fates

15 May 2026

The sales at Stargardt (20% buyer’s premium) in Berlin are an important rendezvous for autograph dealers and collectors.

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Pink topaz and diamond brooch sets house record at Perthshire auction

15 May 2026

Perth saleroom Lindsay Burns (22% buyer’s premium) posted a new house record with an exceptional piece of period jewellery at its latest three-day sale.

Keats' love letters

Keats’ love letters returned to family after theft now come to auction

12 May 2026

A rare group of eight autograph letters by John Keats (1795-1821) to his fiancée Fanny Brawne that had been stolen in 1989 but later recovered are now heading to Sotheby's.

Redfern Gallery

New premises for London art gallery and York book dealer among latest moves

11 May 2026

The latest Movers & Shakers round up includes new homes for Redfern Gallery and Lucius Books

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Dealer interview: ‘Interest is far, far bigger than even I imagined’

08 May 2026

Tom Ayling is an antiquarian book dealer based in Wallingford, south Oxfordshire, and is also a very successful social media star. Boasting over one million followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, he sat down with ATG to tell us all about his business and online presence.

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Hornby trains building up a head of steam at auction

08 May 2026

Prices for Hornby 0 Gauge clockwork railway toys have been rather flat for quite a few years now.

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No to Dr No: ‘basically very old-fashioned Fu Manchu stuff’

08 May 2026

James Bond may well now be a hugely popular multi-billion earning film franchise but a group of rare reports by a film studio evaluating the original books show the raw reaction was one of rejection and even ridicule. ATG interviews the dealer now selling these fascinating snapshots of the 007 world

Lucius Books in York

Lucius Books at a new location

08 May 2026

James Hallgate’s Lucius Books has now relocated and opened its new shop in the centre of York after a three-and-a-half year renovation project.

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Works with a licence to thrill: book collectors' first editions in demand at auction

08 May 2026

Fine collection of British modern novels amassed over decades includes earliest editions with dust jackets

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Quentin Blake originals bring back fond memories at auction

08 May 2026

Arabel and her anarchic pet raven, Mortimer, were first introduced in 1974 on the children’s television show Jackanory.

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