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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Recruiting drive: First World War poster collection up for grabs

16 September 2024

Specialist auction house Onslows’ November 29 auction includes a rare group of British and Irish recruiting posters form the First World War and a near-complete set of the Parliamentary Recruiting posters.

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Nameplate sale shows how a Sherman tank called Michael spearheaded Allied success

16 September 2024

Along with the Soviet T34, the Sherman was regarded as one of the best all-round tanks of the Second World War.

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Single-owner collection of biscuit tins gets novelty treatment at McTear’s

16 September 2024

Barrie Lewis, a Midlands wholesaler of cakes, biscuits and confectionery, began collecting old biscuit tins after he received one as a birthday gift in the early 1980s.

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Groundbreaking and influential works uncover Yorkshire geology

16 September 2024

The most eagerly contested lot of the Books, Maps and Manuscripts Sale at Tennants (24% buyer’s premium) on August 23 was one comprising two volumes containing influential works on geology and palaeontology by John Phillips (1800-74) and William Buckland (1784-1856).

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Bomb disposal bravery award recognises an unsung hero of the Falklands War

16 September 2024

Wars are full of renowned acts of bravery in the face of the enemy but medals also salute the feats of many unsung military heroes who often go under the radar in recognition terms.

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Roll map shows the very narrow road to Durham

16 September 2024

Pictured here is a detail from an 18th century parchment roll map documenting the primary roads on a journey from London to Durham through the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Durham.

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Militaria news in brief: eye catching results

16 September 2024

A look at unusual lots that stood out in recent auctions

1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

Christie's buys US classic car auction house Goodings

13 September 2024

Christie’s is to return to the classic car market following an agreement to acquire Gooding & Company.

Polydore Vergil’s Anglica Historia

Hand-drawn maps lift demand for Mary Tudor’s personal copy of Anglica Historia

12 September 2024

Mary Tudor’s personal copy of Vergil’s history of England has sold at auction for £140,000.

Cray-1 Supercomputer

Auction record for any computer as Paul Allen’s Cray-1 sells at Christie’s

11 September 2024

A Cray-1 Supercomputer owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen set a new high for any computer sold at auction when it took $810,000 (£618,320) at Christie’s New York.

Harry Potter 1St Edition Paperback Front

Soft cover Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone bought for £3.50 in 1997 now hammers at £6600 in auction

11 September 2024

The bad news if you have a first edition of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' in soft covers is that they are not as rare as the hardback version which numbered 500 copies.

carved giltwood horse

Rare fairground memorabilia gallops ahead at London auction

11 September 2024

On entering an Edwardian fairground, the sheer size and scale of the ornately carved ‘bioscope’ show front would stop an observer in their tracks.

Douglas

Collection of founder member of the Scottish Military Collectors Historical Society comes to auction

09 September 2024

This week Anderson & Garland is offering for sale the private collection of militaria and weapons belonging to Douglas Napier Anderson (b.1927).

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Impronte act as reminder of famous Grand Tour works

09 September 2024

The DuMouchelles (24% buyer’s premium) July 19 sale in Detroit included a collection of ‘Grand Tour’ plaster intaglios and cameos by Paoletti of Rome.

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Gutenberg Bible leaf priced at six figures

09 September 2024

Bayliss Rare Books is offering a fine leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with moveable type. The leaf in question is the end of Chapter 45 through to the beginning of Chapter 48 of Isaiah (45:6-48:6).

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Ram trade sign hammers at $16,000

09 September 2024

This handsome English trade sign in the form of a ram had a provenance to the London folk art dealership Robert Young Antiques.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, September 10-24, 2024

09 September 2024

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales.

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Nansen broke the ice for a first UK appearance

09 September 2024

A remarkable late Victorian lecture programme on early polar exploration by the Norwegian scientist Dr Fridtjof Nansen has been sold at Chaucer Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) in Folkestone.

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Monty Python’s buying circus - English literary landmarks collected by the late Terry Jones

09 September 2024

Dozen books including literary trailblazers come to auction from collection of actor and historian Terry Jones

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Auction offers ‘truly magnificent’ copy of Irish antiquities work

09 September 2024

Blessed with a classical education, a gift for drawing and his father’s fortune, the English militiaman and antiquary Francis Grose (1731-91) is best known for his Views of Antiquities in England and Wales, published in several volumes between 1772-76.

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