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.

An album of rare photographs of China

Album with rare photos of China takes £8200 at Flints

10 January 2024

Estimated at £3000-5000, an album containing rare - possibly unique - views in the Treaty Port of Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) was the top lot at an auction in Thatcham, Berkshire.

img_20-2.jpg

An Art Deco silver cigarette box is among five lots to watch

08 January 2024

With estimates from £100, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.

img_26-2.jpg

Virginia as the garden of Eden

08 January 2024

In 1585 English colonists Thomas Hariot and John White recorded their first impressions of life on Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, January 10-23, 2024

08 January 2024

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions

img_27-3.jpg

Faces of crime: mugshots reveal minor offenders

08 January 2024

These days you have to pay for the privilege of spending the night at the former House of Correction in Folkingham, Lincolnshire.

img_26-3.jpg

Meet the Barringtons in a comprehensive archive

08 January 2024

‘Substantial’ was certainly the description to use when it came to an archive related to the Barrington family of Beckett Hall, Shrivenham, Oxfordshire.

img_28-1.jpg

Ephemera reveals Freddie Mercury’s band before Queen

08 January 2024

Freddie Mercury mania in 2023 was not confined to Sotheby’s in London.

img_26-1.jpg

‘What to the slave is your 4th of July?’

08 January 2024

Printing of abolitionist Douglass’ famous speech on a ‘rich inheritance’ not shared takes nearly $70,000

Bubble Map of London Underground

Rare 1930s London Underground map stars in our pick of five auction highlights

05 January 2024

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a London tube map from 1935 that emerged at a Bristol auction.

George III brass mortar

Having a blast: 18th century mortar fires up Essex auction

02 January 2024

Sending the old year out with a bang, a George III brass mortar by Jan Verbruggen took £49,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at Sworders.

Bowler sculpture

Howzat for a marble sculpture thought to be one of the first depictions of a cricketer

02 January 2024

A white marble sculpture of a young man holding what appears to be a cricket ball flew away from its estimate to bring $30,000 (£23,700) at Andrew Jones (25% buyer’s premium).

Nun’s badge

Pick of the week: Mexican nun’s badge found in Norfolk

02 January 2024

The Christmas Gifts sale at TW Gaze in Diss included a rare example of 18th century Catholic colonial jewellery: a Mexican 'escudo de monja' or nun’s badge.

img_42-1.jpg

Spa town’s book fairs boom again

02 January 2024

Revived event in Tunbridge Wells is full with a waiting list, reflecting the strong national trend

img_16-1.jpg

Tale of an 18th century US journey returns Stateside

02 January 2024

Bidder in Massachusetts goes to £24,000 to secure an account of a 1764 trip along the eastern seaboard

img_18-3.jpg

Life of a debutante — and views of destroyed ships

02 January 2024

The handstitched booklet titled Balls & My Partners, 1844-1845 was written by Adelaide Horatia Elizabeth Seymour (1825-77) as she enjoyed the life of a debutante.

img_17-1.jpg

Forster’s letters and books to the policeman he loved

02 January 2024

Letters and books marking the deep relationship between author EM Forster and policeman Bob Buckingham and his family sold for £9000.

ATG letter: Note of caution on Watts sale

02 January 2024

The report in ATG No 2615 that some copies of the Agatha Christie titles in the Charlie Watts sale at Christie’s were sold with dust jackets supplied from other copies raises some concerns.

img_19-1.jpg

Fascinating Fleetwood Mac material reveals the road to stardom

02 January 2024

Fleetwood Mac are famous for the huge-selling Rumours album that propelled the band to superstardom but the original line-up and sound were very different.

img_19-5.jpg

Bowie lyrics make a stellar result in Merseyside sale

02 January 2024

The music memorabilia sale at Omega (28.8% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on November 29 included the handwritten lyrics to two tracks on David Bowie’s 1972 classic The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, January 3-21, 2024

02 January 2024

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions

Categories

News