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.

2053Arms01.jpg

Big game rifles – a short history

18 August 2012

An interesting sporting gun found its way into Wallis & Wallis’s (17.5% buyer's premium) predominantly militaria sale in Lewes on June 12.

2053LS08A-18-08-12.jpg

The not-so-humble airgun

18 August 2012

To most people air guns are the low-powered toys that little boys play about with in the back garden, but the air rifle has a surprisingly long history and at one time they were among the most feared weapons on the battlefield.

2053AB01C-12-08-17.jpg

Jane Austen’s ring fetches £126,000

17 August 2012

“My dear Caroline, The enclosed Ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your Uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you.”

2053IE01B-12-08-16.jpg

Ducat from Carl Vogel collection sparks international competition

16 August 2012

A Prussian ducat from 1803 is considered one of the greatest rarities among 19th century German coins.

2053NE03B.jpg

Bolt boost in Birmingham

13 August 2012

A pair of running spikes that belonged to double Olympic 100m and 200m gold medallist Usain Bolt sped to a £25,000 price at a Birmingham charity auction.

2053NE04A.jpg

Derby now hit in spate of museum thefts

13 August 2012

Coins, medals and watches worth over £50,000 have been stolen as a series of museum break-ins continues.

2052PV01A-12-08-01.jpg

Gymnast’s Olympic blazer up for sale

01 August 2012

An Olympic blazer and a painted diploma belonging to Ada Smith, a bronze medal-winning gymnast from Leigh near Wigan, will be up for auction on August 16-17 at Adam Partridge auctioneers of Macclesfield, Cheshire.

2052PV01D-12-08-01.jpg

Murder trial documents at Ryedale

01 August 2012

A group of items belonging to Inspector Black, the arresting officer in the 1950s murder trial of Timothy Evans, is to be offered for sale on August 4 at Ryedale Auctioneers in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire.

2051IE02A-12-07-27.jpg

Heyde toy figures spark bidding battles

27 July 2012

Dealer, collector, author, military historian – Shamus Wade amassed the remarkable collection of toy soldiers and figures which was recently sold at Special Auction Services of Greenham, near Newbury.

2051IE01A.jpg

Märklin paddle steamer brings record as Claus sale sails to $1.8m

27 July 2012

Documented in the book ‘The Allure of Toy Ships: American & European Nautical Toys from the 19th and 20th Centuries’, the Richard T. Claus collection is widely acknowledged as the best toy boat collection in America and, some say, rivals the very best in Europe.

2051PV01A-12-07-25.jpg

Railway nameplate with sporting appeal

25 July 2012

A small collection of railwayana from the estate of the late Stephen Crook, a Carlisle-based collector and railway photographer, will be included at Thomson, Roddick & Medcalf’s sale on August 2 in Carlisle.

2051PV01D-12-07-25.jpg

Titanic postcard in Wiltshire

25 July 2012

This Titanic postcard has been consigned to White Star Line specialists Henry Aldridge & Son to be included in their sale on July 28 in Devizes, Wiltshire.

2050PV01C-12-07-18.jpg

The world’s biggest binoculars?

18 July 2012

What could well be the largest binoculars ever produced, this one-off commission was consigned to Cirencester auctioneers Moore Allen & Innocent following a house clearance in Cheltenham.

2050PV01B-12-07-18.jpg

Advertising the key to sale’s success

18 July 2012

This Eglentine Metal sign has never come to the open market before but is on offer among about 250 lots of advertising including showcards, packaging, mirrors and over 300-400 enamel signs to be sold at The Chippenham Auction Rooms on July 21.

2050NE04A.jpg

Denver sale is a real firecracker

17 July 2012

George Moyer is ranked among the world’s foremost collectors of fireworks-related items.

Fall-out from New York coin auction raid

16 July 2012

When police raided one of the most prominent January coin sales in New York no-one was quite sure why.

2049AB02C-12-07-13.jpg

You wait ages for a Prince, then two come along at once

13 July 2012

Just three copies of the 1640, first English edition of Nicholas Machiavelli’s short treatise on political leadership have come to auction in this century, the last of them in 2005.

2049PV01D-12-07-12.jpg

The collection of ‘the penalty king’

12 July 2012

Two England caps awarded to West Ham goalkeeper Ted Hufton (1892-1967) are to be sold at Plymouth Auction Rooms on July 18.

2049AR04B-12-07-12.jpg

Big beasts of the saleroom

12 July 2012

Taxidermy is notoriously difficult and expensive to repair so condition is key.

2048PV01B-12-07-06.jpg

The collection of Conan Doyle’s maid

06 July 2012

At their country house sale on July 10 in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex auctioneers Sworders will include 11 lots from the collection of Mary Jakeman, a lady’s maid to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife at the turn of the 20th century.

Categories

News