Collectables

Celebrating the county’s history, literature and its arts and crafts, an inaugural Dorset Auction was held in Dorchester by Duke’s (25% buyer’s premium).

A group of Richmal Crompton’s Just William books that had an appealing family provenance were offered without reserve at Sotheby’s (26/20/13.9% buyer’s premium).

Irish castle home of earls about to be turned into hotel and spa furnishes a remarkable sale

Remarkably well-preserved 1818 Frankenstein and 1897 Dracula firsts impress in New York

Incorporating 40 coloured litho plates, a copy of The Last Works of Henri Matisse, a folio collection of 1958 issued by Harcourt Brace of New York, led a sale held by Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) of Washington in West Sussex at £2600.

Fascinated both by their elegance of design and sophisticated cartography, Stephen Edell began collecting globes 50 years ago.

A handful of collectors joined the competition when Mehlis (23% buyer’s premium) in Plauen offered a 19th century ivory and ebony chess set.

Most original British quad posters from the series of 'Carry On' films can be bought for sums in the £50-300 price bracket but a number of rarities exist.

One of the most daring air operations of the Second World War included New Zealand pilot Flight Lieutenant Maxwell Nicholas Sparks as a participant.

An eclectic mixture of works from the vast collection of the multi-talented German artist Charles Crodel formed a substantial part of a Hamburg auction.

A menu celebrating a landmark in British aviation – the first flight from London to Brighton, accomplished in 1911 – sold for £750 at Bellmans.

Now well-established London auction house marks landmark with a wide-ranging sale

Coinciding with the new (and long-awaited) release of James Bond film 'No Time To Die', Bloomsbury gallery Abbott and Holder is holding an exhibition of original drawings made for the serialisation of Ian Fleming’s novels in the 'Daily Express'.

The sale of July 15 proved to be its most successful since lockdown for auction house Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium).

With the UN Climate Change Conference 2021 (COP26) on the horizon, rare books specialist Peter Harrington is using Frieze Masters to launch an ambitious new collection of books and original manuscripts charting the history of climate change and environmentalism.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.