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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Take the Underground to the Thames via a poster auction

12 October 2020

This pastoral scene titled 'Where is this bower beside the silver Thames?' features on a poster to promote the London Underground by the well-known French Art Deco artist Jean Dupas.

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When smoke gets in your buys

12 October 2020

Essex saleroom disperses superb pipe collection amassed over more than 50 years.

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Cookery is a recipe for success

12 October 2020

Collection of hotelier, broadcaster and food writer includes many early works.

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Calvert name check boosts chess set value

12 October 2020

The white ‘rooks’ to this 19th century carved and turned wood chess set, offered by TW Gaze (18% buyer’s premium) in Diss in August 12, are stamped Calvert 189 Fleet Street to their bases.

British and Irish book auctions, October 13-31, 2020

12 October 2020

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions.

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Eye-opening images feature in German auction

12 October 2020

An October 27-30 sale of more than 2800 lots at Reiss & Sohn of Königstein-im-Taunus includes a 1583 first of Georg Bartisch’s Opthalmodouleia…, a famous work on eye surgery that is also the first extensively illustrated account of any surgical speciality.

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Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton sets auction record in New York

07 October 2020

A complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton was hammered down at $27.5m (£21.3m) at Christie’s New York.

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ILAB president announces launch of missing books database following re-election

07 October 2020

Australian book dealer Sally Burdon said she will use her second term as ILAB president to consolidate changes and launch a new missing books register following the international book trade association’s recent election.

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Pick of the week: Slide rule measures up at £11,000

05 October 2020

The invention of the gauger’s slide rule in the 1680s is generally credited to one Thomas Everard of Southampton.

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The web shop window: Oscar Wilde’s gothic horror

05 October 2020

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

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Korean helmet and Tongan war club

05 October 2020

Two lots from Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) sale in Leyburn on September 4. The 17th century Korean leather and steel helmet sold to a South Korean buyer for £4800.

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Exceptional European firearms excel

05 October 2020

Thomas Del Mar (25% buyer’s premium) brightened the end of the summer season in London on July 30 with a 300–lot sale of arms and armour.

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Big hitters strike auction highs

05 October 2020

In almost pristine condition, and with its redeemable coupon still attached, this promotional card bearing an image of a very young and slim Joe DiMaggio sold for $200,000 (£149,255) at Heritage Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) of Dallas on August 29-30.

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Castle hosts selected rather than huge sale

05 October 2020

The Munich auction house Hermann Historica (25% buyer’s premium) is renowned for its huge multi-catalogue sales series, but on September 25 it mounted a special, selected sale of works of art held at Schloss Greding, south of Nuremburg.

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Mouseman lucky 13

05 October 2020

The best of 13 Mouseman pieces that sold at Morphets (20% buyer’s premium) for a total of £41,000 was a classic early adzed oak and burr oak sideboard made in Robert Thompson’s Kilburn workshop c.1928-30.

British and Irish book auctions, October 6-17, 2020

05 October 2020

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions.

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Head turners

05 October 2020

Two eye-catching but very different armours, one suited to royal palace style and the other more to purist taste, captured bidders’ attention at a London sale.

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Zeus shield and grotesque mask armour

05 October 2020

Armour made a strong showing at the sale held in Sarzana by Italian arms specialist Czerny (20% buyer’s premium) on September 19.

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Bowie knives evoke pioneer spirit

05 October 2020

At Morphy Auction (20% buyer’s premium) in Denver, Pennsylvania, on August 19 it was an exceptional example of an icon of the pioneering life that had everyone expecting some strong bidding.

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Fancy decoration for a helmet used in the field

05 October 2020

A north Italian close helmet for field use, c.1550-60, with etched decoration which made £13,000 at Thomas Del Mar (25% buyer’s premium) on July 30.

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