Collectables

The book trade has called for institutions to be more proactive in reporting missing items after two notebooks belonging to Charles Darwin were mysteriously returned to Cambridge University Library.

A recently rediscovered miniature book by Charlotte Brontë (1816-55) is on offer at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair (NYIABF) this month.

Bound in blue cloth with a large embossed design to the upper cover and bearing a gilt-framed and lettered title, ‘Private Journal’, to the spine, a volume offered by Cadmore Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) was estimated at just £10-30.

The Blickensderfer Typewriter Co of Stanford, Connecticut, introduced the Niagara ‘index’ typewriter in 1902.

Pictured and described here are six very different lots that formed part of a March 2 sale held by Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium).

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Bid to £2800 in a recent Norfolk sale was a detailed and now rare Map of the Parish of St Mary Abbotts, Kensington… dating from 1879.

Harry Potter just keeps on doing well at auction, and Hansons (25% buyer’s premium), which has enjoyed a particularly close and profitable relationship with JK Rowling’s creation over the years, had more to offer in a March 9 sale.

Polar material in a travel and exploration themed sale held on March 2 by Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) produced a bid of £24,000 for a letter that Robert Falcon Scott wrote to a friend, Lady Goodrich, about his planned British Antarctic Expedition of 1910.

A passion that began with a single tray acquired on a football away day pub visit has led to the creation of a breweriana museum

A collection of toy boats will be part of the toy auctions to be held by the Ivoire group’s Chartres saleroom on April 23-24.

This Victorian tailor-made military uniform by A Succaram Tookaram & Sons, Tailors, 273 Main Street, Poona was estimated at £150-200 at Lockdales (18% buyer’s premium) in Ipswich.

Estimated at £100-150, a group of six items of Second World War army kit ended up selling for £4000 at Tennants (22% buyer’s premium).

The Five Centuries sale at Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) featured items from Borders property Kimmerghame, Duns, home of the Swinton family.

Dictionary inscription is that of the crime novelist’s maiden name, adding to value.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

A feature of Milestone’s spring toy sale in Willoughby, Ohio, on April 9 will be a collection of over 60 Popeye-related toys.

This parcel gilt musical box decorated with a frieze of figures is by Stuart Devlin (London 1975).

The elaborately tooled and richly decorated binding with its gilt inner dentelles shown right was made to contain an address ‘To Percy L. Pewtress Esq., Organist at Lee Chapel’, who had served the congregation of that south-east London church from 1883-1922.

This rare bisque socket head doll was made by Kämmer and Reinhardt as part of its art character series, c.1910.