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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Records of doomed North Pole balloon expedition sold at Swedish sale

23 August 2021

Two unpublished diaries sold in Sweden related to Salomon August Andrée’s ill-fated attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon.

British and Irish book auctions: August 24-September 11, 2021

23 August 2021

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

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Snuffbox copy has its own charms

23 August 2021

Along with its Summer Fine Art sale, Tennants held a jewellery, watches and silver sale on July 17.

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Expert shows cutting-edge skills

23 August 2021

In terms of improvement on expectations, the most successful lot at a Ketterer Kunst (25% buyer’s premium) sales earlier this year comprised early 19th century paper-cuts.

Pleyel grand piano

Piano restorer David Winston’s ‘unique’ collection comes to auction at Dreweatts

18 August 2021

Newbury saleroom Dreweatts is to offer an impressive private collection of rare pianos in the autumn.

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Bids tabled for £60,000 Prague pietra dura casket

16 August 2021

Eight phone bidders competed for this splendid ebony and pietra dura table casket offered at a recent auction at Claydon Auctioneers in Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire.

British and Irish book auctions: August 17-September 3, 2021

16 August 2021

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

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Unsuccessful commercially, but now worth £5600 in the saleroom

16 August 2021

This Doll et Cie four-seater open touring car toy, c.1920s, is a live-steam model made in Germany.

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Owner stories boost value of Pearson teddy bears

16 August 2021

Toys from the private collection of Sue Pearson, the UK’s leading dealer in antique and vintage teddy bears and soft toys, were offered in Newbury.

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19th century bartender's 'bible' makes record in San Francisco sale

16 August 2021

Published in 1862, one exceptional lot in a Californian sale that focused on food and drink was billed as “The Canonical Text in Bartending”.

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Savoy cocktail book from 1930 makes rare appearance at auction

16 August 2021

Bid to £1500 in a Norfolk sale was a 1930 first of The Savoy Cocktail Book.

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Snuff box sold by dealer was a ‘gift from Lord Nelson’

16 August 2021

A snuff box believed to have been gifted by Lord Nelson to his personal secretary during a dinner party attended by Emma Hamilton has been sold by Paul Fraser Collectables for £45,000.

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Film classic Zulu poster comes up at Singapore auction

16 August 2021

Hotlotz in Singapore holds a single-owner online auction on August 22 featuring the ‘property of a gentleman’.

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Belgian Concorde dreams were grounded

16 August 2021

Demand for anything to do with Concorde is always high but a huge ‘museum quality’ model at Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium) had an extra touch.

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Pride of the snuff boxes from Lion collection

16 August 2021

A silver sale at Woolley & Wallis (25/12% buyer’s premium) this summer included a selection of 24 snuff boxes from the Lion collection – as published in 'British Silver Boxes 1640-1840, The Lion Collection' (2015).

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Toys and collectables: Keeping it on track

16 August 2021

One of the finest European railway toy collections built in the US generated a suitably enthusiastic response when it came to auction.

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Major Matchbox collection strikes a chord

16 August 2021

What was billed as ‘the finest Matchbox collection to be auctioned in recent years’ was offered at Vectis (20% buyer’s premium) in the spring.

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House based in a cupboard draws in the bidders at Hansons

16 August 2021

Such is the recent appeal of dolls’ house accessories that you do not even need the ‘house’ to put them in, it seems.

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Receipt reveals original Bassett-Lowke rail sale

16 August 2021

A live-steam Gauge 2 Midland Railway locomotive and tender was the top lot of Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) Toys, Models, Collectables and Sporting Sale.

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19th century French doll sold for a startling six-figure price

16 August 2021

This rare French Emile Jumeau bisque-headed character doll from c.1892, with a distinctive light brown complexion, turned heads in a US saleroom.

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