Collectables

Such was the demand for suits of armour from late 19th and early 20th century collectors that European master armourers were kept hard at work long after the practical need for such protective wear had passed.

This Victorian dirk – with ensuite knife and fork – sold for 10 times the top estimate, £2000, at McTear’s (24% buyer’s premium) in Glasgow on January 21.

Simple, undated note by the Beethoven bought for $220,000 at Heritage auction by a big fan

Sold for €160,000 (£144,145) was a letter sent by Félix Régamy to his brother Frédéric including a drawing of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine in England.

Boss over-and-under guns from the golden age of London gunmaking have long ranked among the most sought by game shots.

Signed by the author and all members of the cast, the stage manager and the props manager, a 1943, Heinemann first of 'Present Laughter' was one of two Noel Coward plays that made up a lot sold for £1600 via thesaleroom.com in a Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) auction.

Theodolite and telescope made to high standards measure up in two salerooms

Running to 600 lots, a sale held by Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium) included a great many maps and prints alongside books.

At Bonhams in London this single-barrelled 28-bore made in 1877 for one of the sons of Prince Duleep Singh reached £20,000.

A ‘Hunger Strike’ Women’s Social and Political Union Medal awarded to a Suffragette who threw at lump of iron at Winston Churchill’s car made £10,000.

Provenance can count for a lot when it comes to gun collecting and two names with quite different connotations came up at Holts (25/20% buyer’s premium).

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

On February 25 Doyle in New York will be selling the single-owner Joseph and Miriam Poser Collection of English and American silver card and vesta cases.

Nicolas-Noel Boutet and Anton Vincent Lebeda pistols star at two London auctions.

First edition of Napoleon Hill’s 'Think and Grow Rich' sells at auction

Signed and inscribed Marilyn Monroe photo to 'Joe' poses an auction puzzler

Weapons proved a highlight of the Lockdales (18% buyer’s premium) Coins, Medals & Militaria auction on January 23-24 held during the third lockdown.

Krupp mountain guns made in Nanjing as China modernised come up at Thomas Del Mar auction.

Even the composite parts of weapons now long lost have a value at auction.

The name Boutet appears on many fine presentation guns.