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.

A musket ball embedded in a piece of a wall

Musket ball from Battle of Waterloo aims for auction glory

17 July 2024

Bidders are already fired up for this intriguing relic

An antique narwhal tusk

Seven-foot narwhal tusk takes £7500

16 July 2024

Sale in Hampshire may be one of the final sales of such an item before new legislation takes force

Phillip Segal toys

Hey Diddle Diddle – the toy bid over the moon

16 July 2024

The range of nursery rhyme and sporting figures made by Phillip Segal Toys are among the most desirable of all hollowcast lead ‘civilians’.

Taxidermy

Taxidermy of extinct New Zealand birds set to fly at auction

16 July 2024

A display of huia birds from New Zealand will find its way to Moreton-in-Marsh on July 25

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Poetry work that awakened the genius of John Keats

15 July 2024

Only 29 books from the library of John Keats are recorded - among them a 1679 printing of the collected works of the Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser given to him by the artist Joseph Severn (1793-1879).

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More Suffragette hunger strike medals appear at auction

15 July 2024

A medal awarded to a Suffragette for going on hunger strike hammered down for £17,000 on June 7 at Bonhams (plus 28% buyer’s premium).

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Market for distinctive Neapolitan Nativity figures is full of life

15 July 2024

Bumper collection of the 18th century creations sold at auction 42 years ago re-emerges in south London

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Gold medal sold at auction marks GB football success in 1908 Olympics

15 July 2024

The 1908 Olympic Games in London included duels with wax bullets, tug of war and the world’s oldest Olympic champion.

British and Irish book auctions: July 16-August 8, 2024

15 July 2024

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

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Illustration done on a grand scale: fantastic fish watercolours from naturalist Sarah Bowdich Lee

15 July 2024

Naturalist produced a fish-focused work featuring nearly 3000 original watercolours across 50 copies

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Magpie picked up FA Cup winner's medal in 1924

15 July 2024

An FA Cup winner’s medal belonging to a Newcastle United goalkeeper who won the trophy with the Magpies 100 years ago sold for £7800 on June 27.

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Top stories this week including news of a rusty sword selling for over 500 times estimate

14 July 2024

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a lengthy bidding contest coming for an Indian tulwar sword after bidders identified the importance of the hilt decoration.

Sex Pistols God Save The Queen 2653NEDI 12 07 2024

‘Holy grail’ Sex Pistols single makes record

12 July 2024

Rare copy of the most censored record in British history sells at Wiltshire auction

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Largest ever dinosaur skeleton at auction expected to fetch up to €5m

12 July 2024

Apatosaurus known as 'Vulcain' is to be offered at auction in Paris in November

2652 NEDI NIB Queen Victoria Sketch

Teenage Princess Victoria’s sketches fetch £3200

11 July 2024

Four drawings by the future monarch found their way into an album perhaps assembled by her portrait artist's daughter-in-law

The Battle of Loos painting

Artillery museum shells out at auction to secure First World War battle scene

10 July 2024

The Royal Artillery Museum has emerged as the winning bidder for a rare eyewitness view of a First World War battle sold at a recent auction in Farnham.

Irita Marriott

Car boot Bowie bonanza comes to Derbyshire sale

10 July 2024

Photos of David Bowie by Masayoshi Sukita found at a car boot sale in the 1990s are now a potential star turn at Irita Marriott Auctioneers

Napoleon Pistol

Pistols Napoleon wanted to use on himself make £1.4m

09 July 2024

The pistols were presented by Napoleon to his friend and Grand Ecuyer Armand de Caulaincourt to thank him for his loyalty

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Original Harry Potter artwork takes a magical $1.6m result

08 July 2024

The original artwork for 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' sold at Sotheby’s for $1.6m (£1.3m) plus 20% buyer’s premium in New York on June 26.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, July 10-August 3, 2024

08 July 2024

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper auctions

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