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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Masonic gathering in South London

25 March 2014

South London auctioneers Rosebery’s sold the Masonic collection of Albert Edward Collins Nice (1898-1969) as the first tranche of their quarterly fine art sale that covered three days and three catalogues.

Revision of postal museum sales policy

20 March 2014

The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) has revised its policy for sales of duplicates following controversy surrounding last July’s Sotheby’s auction.

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Bell rings in a year of WW1 centenary sales

20 March 2014

Theophilus Jones, a private in the Durham Light Infantry, achieved the unfortunate distinction of being the first soldier to be killed on British soil during the First World War.

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The pick of the saleroom

26 February 2014

This ice pick belonged to the explorer James W. Dell who accompanied Scott on his first effort to reach the South Pole in 1901-04, serving as an able seaman aboard the ‘Discovery’.

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Beano No 1 at Comic Book Auctions

26 February 2014

This copy of The Beano No 1 from 1938 will be offered in Comic Book Auctions’ latest sale closing on March 4.

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Winter Olympic gold – torches scoop top prices

17 February 2014

Like those London buses where you wait forever then two come along at once, two versions of a rare Olympic torch limited to just 33 examples turned up in separate Drouot auctions in Paris within the space of just ten days.

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Competing for leaden hearts

11 February 2014

A rare visitor to the recent numismatic sale at Lockdales in Martlesham Heath, Ipswich was a group of three convict tokens.

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Illuminated manuscript takes $12m at Christie’s

03 February 2014

The book of hours known as The Rothschild Prayerbook sold for $12m (£7.55m) at Christie’s in New York.

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Leica camera at Special Auction Services

30 January 2014

The descendants of the original owner, who purchased it new from the maker, Ernst Leitz, are offering this Leica I Anastigmat Camera for sale at Special Auction Services of Newbury.

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Gold Aureus takes $130,000 at New York sale

13 January 2014

Baldwin’s and their partners began 2014 in style at the ‘New York International Numismatic Convention’.

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Lights, camera, action – photographica merits special sale

09 January 2014

Cameras and photographic equipment are among the fastest growing categories for Newbury saleroom Special Auction Services.

Teeing off with golf in Scotland

06 January 2014

Bonhams are to hold golf memorabilia sales in Scotland starting in June.

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Poppy from 1916 is poignant survivor

19 December 2013

Picked from a trench in 1916, a poppy which is thought to be the only surviving example from the First World War sold for £5200 at Duke’s of Dorchester earlier this month.

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House prices are soaring...

19 December 2013

When Gloucestershire auctioneers Chorley’s were asked to sell this early Victorian dolls’ house, the consignment came with a caveat.

Sale date set for the stolen Stradivarius

13 December 2013

The Stradivarius violin which was stolen from Euston station in 2010 and recovered earlier this year will be offered at Tarisio auctioneers this month.

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Helping create the legend of the man who never was

09 December 2013

When Major William Martin of the Royal Marines left the submarine HMS Seraph in April 1943 on a top-secret mission he played the main role in one of the most successful and ingenious wartime deceptions ever attempted.

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Psalm book sets £8.1m auction record for a printed book

29 November 2013

The most expensive printed book sold at auction will go on display to the public after the buyer pledged to lend it to libraries across the US before putting it on permanent loan at one of them.

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Passover manuscript sets £210,000 record

26 November 2013

Cheshire auctioneers Adam Partridge set a house record when this newly discovered copy of the Passover Haggadah written and illuminated by the celebrated 18th century scribe Aaron Wolf Herlingen sold for £210,000.

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Who’ll give me £1 for this?

25 November 2013

The entire contents of a West Yorkshire bookshop containing over 30,000 books are to go under the hammer with the bidding opening at just £1.

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Ex-PM’s special advisor buys London’s priciest address sign

15 November 2013

This rust-tinged enamelled sheet iron sign was sold for £31,500 at Summers Place Auctions’ latest sale in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

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