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.

Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath’s copy of her novel ‘The Bell Jar’ is top lot at Bonhams auction

26 March 2018

Sylvia Plath’s personal copy of the first edition of her only novel was the top lot in a sale of the ‘Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes: The Property of Frieda Hughes’ sale at Bonhams.

British and Irish book auctions: March 26-April 5, 2018

26 March 2018

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from March 26-April 5, 2018.

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Sidney works gain life after death

26 March 2018

None of the works by the Elizabethan poet, courtier and soldier Sir Philip Sidney (1554-86) were actually published in his lifetime.

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Busman on a honeymoon

26 March 2018

'Busman’s Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions' was the 11th and last of the Dorothy L Sayers books featuring Lord Peter Wimsey.

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Aldine books fly high at auction

26 March 2018

Aldine press books of the early 16th century, mostly it seems in a good but much later full morocco or calf bindings, produced a number of the higher bids in a recent Yorkshire sale.

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ATG letter: Doctor Who script – Who are you kidding?

26 March 2018

MADAM – I did a double – no, triple – take when I read the article ‘First Doctor Who script up at auction’ in ATG No 2332.

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Seacrest library generates more sale gems

26 March 2018

A signed and dated 1839 first (second issue) of Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby was one of many lots in a Heritage (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale of March 7 that came from the library of James Seacrest, a Nebraska publisher and philanthropist, that were sold to benefit charities.

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Map lots go to plan at auction

26 March 2018

Cartographic rarities showed the way to strong results at the Dominic Winter (20% buyer’s premium) saleroom.

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Sheep dip sign makes it through the snowdrifts

26 March 2018

Deep snowdrifts accompanied the March 2 sale at Chippenham Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Wiltshire.

ATG lettter: Cross out the scribbles

26 March 2018

MADAM – Have sellers of antiquarian books never considered the use of ‘Post-it’ notes? Do they not realise that pencil scribbles actually devalue the product that they are trying to sell?

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Dealer Mark Goodger takes a good look back

26 March 2018

This year marks a 20th anniversary for Northamptonshire dealer Mark Goodger. He first established the business Hampton Antiques with his wife Sara in 1998 and deals in antique boxes and accessories from the 18th-21st centuries.

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Unprecedented collection of maps of Japan offered by Daniel Crouch Rare Books in Tokyo

21 March 2018

Daniel Crouch Rare Books offers what is dubbed the largest collection of maps of Japan ever to come on the open market at this week’s Tokyo Book Fair.

Dibnah

Steeplejack ladders prove a hit at sell-out Fred Dibnah auction in Bolton

20 March 2018

Crowds descended on Bolton at the weekend to see the sell-out auction of the property of steeplejack and TV personality Fred Dibnah.

map

Call for help to find London underground map stolen from auction house

19 March 2018

Transport Auctions of London is calling for the trade to look out for a stolen London Underground map.

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Pick of the Week: Closing the shutter at a record €2m

19 March 2018

A new record for a camera sold at auction was set by WestLicht in Vienna when one of only a handful of surviving Leica 0-series cameras – this one carrying the serial number 122 – sold at €2m (£1.76m) plus 20% buyer’s premium, to a private buyer from Asia.

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Archibald Knox silver inkwell among early sales at BADA fair

19 March 2018

Among the first sales of BADA 2018 was this modernist Archibald Knox silver and pink enamel inkwell sold from the stand of The Peartree Collection for more than £10,000.

real tennis rackets

Anyone for real tennis – early 19th century rackets take £13,000 at Sworders

19 March 2018

An unexpected highlight of a recent sale at Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet was this set of four early real tennis rackets. They came from a client in the North of England and had been owned by the family for many years.

British and Irish book auctions: March 20-29, 2018

19 March 2018

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from March 20-29, 2018.

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Krusenstern goes round again in Sussex

19 March 2018

A first English edition of Charlotte Bernhardi’s translation of her father, Admiral Krusenstern’s Memoir… of his 1803-06 circumnavigation of the globe was one of the rarer items offered at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) on February 20.

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Marvellous moments in March

19 March 2018

The first week of March ended with a flurry of sales in both the UK and the US. Together they brought a number of exceptional results.

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