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.

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Fry note produces a choc shock result for 1549 Bible

18 April 2022

As this illustration of the title-page shows, a 1549 London edition of the Bible offered in a timed online sale ending on March 13 held by East Bristol Auctions (19% buyer’s premium) had its shortcomings where condition was concerned.

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Vanity for spies

18 April 2022

The Fine Photographica sale at Flints in Thatcham, Berkshire, on April 23 includes this Ansco Photo Vanity 'spy' camera, estimated at £800-1200.

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Kemp & Co field camera comes to Yorkshire sale

18 April 2022

North Yorkshire saleroom Tennants is selling this Kemp & Co field camera with ‘tropical’ mahogany casing and brass fittings, with an estimate of £150-250.

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Olympia fundraiser for Met arms department

18 April 2022

West London saleroom Olympia Auctions has announced a new fundraising campaign to benefit the arms and armour department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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Two versions of the Compass

18 April 2022

It was supposedly as a result of a bet whether it was possible to make a camera that could fit into a cigarette packet that Noel Pemberton Billing (1881-1948) began work on a miniature, collapsible camera that would accept 35mm film.

British and Irish book auctions: April 19-May 5, 2022

18 April 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Charles Darwin’s ‘Tree of Life’ notebook

‘Happy Easter’ after Darwin books returned

11 April 2022

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.

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Brontë manuscript on sale at New York book fair

11 April 2022

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

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Mystery journal ready for a private investigation

11 April 2022

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.

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Qwerty spelt the end for the Niagara

11 April 2022

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

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The joy of six – a selection of highlights from Dominic Winter

11 April 2022

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).

British and Irish book auctions: April 12-30, 2022

11 April 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

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Kensington mapped out and Le Carré in a designer jacket

11 April 2022

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.

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Potter: battered and pristine

04 April 2022

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.

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Album reveals hidden Tibet and letter unveils polar expedition

04 April 2022

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.

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Collector Interview: Raise a glass to breweriana

04 April 2022

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

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Julius Caesar Märklin boat steams into saleroom

04 April 2022

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.

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Uniform for a (very) small soldier

04 April 2022

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.

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Tank crew kit and jerkins get into gear

04 April 2022

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).

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Venetian charger emerges from the Borders

04 April 2022

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

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