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.

A portrait of Caroline Herschel

Bath museum buys visitor book of astronomer Caroline Herschel

09 March 2022

The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath has bought Caroline Herschel’s visitor book dating from her time living near Windsor.

Brass and enamel garter stall plaques

Pick of the week: Heraldic plaques found in a wardrobe take £10,000 bid

07 March 2022

Found in a wardrobe during the clearance of a deceased estate in Spalding, ‘a group of four early 19th century French heraldic plaques’ sold way over hopes at Stamford Auction Rooms in Lincolnshire on February 26.

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Avery jockey scales go weigh above estimate

07 March 2022

Former champion jockey Joe Mercer 1934-2021) was a keen buyer of racing memorabilia.

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Signed writer photo-portraits at Christie's

07 March 2022

The two signed photo-portraits of writers reproduced here formed part of a November 17-December 1 sale held by Christie’s (15/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) that dispersed a single-owner collection of literary manuscripts billed as Exiles and Idealists.

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Ecclesiastical Mouseman commissions emerge at Northumberland sale

07 March 2022

Ecclesiastical commissions are integral to the Mouseman story – it was the friendship between Father Paul Neville and Robert Thompson that led to the work at Ampleforth College – but in commercial terms these can be relatively difficult pieces.

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Musical box tunes up in Kansas

07 March 2022

This Regina disc and double comb-operated upright musical box is expected to be one of the highlights when Woody Auction in Kansas offers the collection of David and Marlene Howard from Ohio on March 19.

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Investment that brings a big return

07 March 2022

One of the stand-out lots at Sotheby’s New York (26/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) was a 1949 first printing of The Intelligent Investor.

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Sumptuous seaweeds at Surrey sale

07 March 2022

A set of the four volumes that make up William G Johnstone & Alexander Croall’s 'Nature-Printed British Sea-Weeds' of 1859-60 was offered in a December 21 sale at John Nicholson’s (20% buyer’s premium) in Fernhurst, Surrey.

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On the scent of posters at Swann

07 March 2022

Italian liqueur tempts buyer to pay highest price at dedicated sale

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Dulac Snow Queen drifts in

07 March 2022

This splendid example of the illustrative work of Edmund Dulac, a watercolour, gouache and ink drawing on paper, is his original artwork for one of the 28 plates he produced for a 1911, Hodder & Stoughton edition of Stories from Hans Andersen.

Tinplate ‘Bing Brake’ car

‘Bing Brake’ brings a big result on Teesside

07 March 2022

The latest Tinplate & Specialist Toy sale at Vectis (20.83% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Stockton-on-Tees included this large-scale tinplate clockwork vintage car by the Gebruder Bing factory of Nuremberg.

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Burmese blaze and golden gains

07 March 2022

Nineteenth century aquatint and map provide global perspective in Gloucestershire saleroom

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French designs set to shine in an international selection

07 March 2022

Another 425 lots of rare and vintage posters will also be up for sale in New York this month at Poster Auction International on March 20.

UK and Irish book auctions: March 8-19, 2022

07 March 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Car mascot

Plea to help find stolen René Lalique car mascot

03 March 2022

A dealer whose René Lalique car mascot was stolen from a fair is offering a reward for its return.

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Pick of the week: Pioneering rail trio took a trip to the US

28 February 2022

Sometimes it pays to look a little further afield.

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Goalie shirt saved since 1879 single appearance

28 February 2022

One of the earliest items of football memorabilia to appear at auction emerged at Bonhams in Knightsbridge: an England international goalkeeper shirt from 1879.

British and Irish book auctions: March 1-12, 2022

28 February 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

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Heaven and earth: toilet invention influences

28 February 2022

During the Victorian era the Rev Henry Moule (1801-80) of Fordington in Dorset was doubtless considered something of a zealot.

USSR poster

Righting the wrongs with exhibitions for International Women’s Day

28 February 2022

A look at exhibitions staged to coincide with the international day of celebration

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