Collectables

Estimated at £200-300 but sold for £4200 at Charterhouse (25% buyer’s premium) in Sherborne, Dorset, were two design books from the Royal Doulton workshop floor.

A 16th century bible in German was the most expensive book sold at auction in the UK in December.

The latest jobs moves and appointments across the world of art and antiques

The top lot in Potter & Potter’s (25% buyer’s premium) latest Wunderkammer Sale was Gustave Vichy’s (1839-1904) 'Aubade a la lune' (Serenade to the Moon) mechanical automaton. It is considered a signature model of the firm.

Your report on Onslows’ sale of posters (Auction Reports, ATG No 2678) states that “Terence Cuneo’s well-known poster Giants Refreshed was printed in 1939 for the LNER”.

Forum Auctions has set a record for a copy of JRR Tolkien’s 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Chanel No 5 was perfected in the late summer and autumn of 1920 by the French-Russian chemist and perfumer Ernest Beaux.

The closure of Roma Numismatics and competition from overseas meant total sales across London coins and medals auctions fell to £51.7m in 2024.

Farnborough Technical College hosted many memorable bands for gigs it seems, judging from a six-lot selection of posters that appeared at Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium).

“I’ve been an auctioneer for 30 years now and it took me two hours to sell 34 lots – so you get the idea of the interest and levels of bidders.”

Total sales across London coins and medals auctions fell £10m in 2024. So, are the first cracks appearing in a market that was riding high in Covid? As always, the devil is in the detail.

When a collection of invitation and admission cards, menus and related items linked to Glasgow and shipping interest came up at auction estimated at £100-150 the resulting bidding battle took the hammer price to £2800.

A look at some of the numismatic lots that caused a stir in 2024, starting off with a scarce example of Civil War coinage

Palitoy was a major player in the British toys scene.

Less-than-pristine paints and brushes from the studio of Lucien Freud (1922-2011) were sold by University Archives (23% buyer’s premium) in Wilton, Connecticut.

This year is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth in 1775 and among the many celebratory events is Miss Austen, a four-episode drama currently airing on BBC 1, which is based on the novelist’s sister Cassandra.