Collectables

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about,” Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray - a prescient observation that has proven remarkably true.

The public may have been surprised to discover that Barry Humphries (1934-2023), the creator of Dame Edna Everage, was a great bibliophile with a passion for rare books by the ‘decadent’ writers of the fin de siècle.

A recent Freeman’s Hindman (28/27% buyer’s premium) sale in Chicago included a first edition of John Locke’s foundational text on civil society and the nature of government 'Two Treatises of Government….'

Our look ahead at fairs coming up in the capital, including the Firsts and PBFA events held a short hop apart on the same weekend

Stand-out lots from Shakespeare to Sendak, Marie-Antoinette to Mary Queen of Scots, Gill to Waugh and Turing to Buffalo Bill

Inscriptions and annotations can make a massive difference to value

Etc Fairs has announced the new London location for the three autumn book events which have been changed venues due to renovation work at the Holiday Inn in Bloomsbury, their regular spot.

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

Noonans’ Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria sale on April 9 included a rare group of medals awarded to Lancaster Bomber pilot, Warrant Officer, later Flight Lieutenant, Edward Sydney Ellis of 625 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

The British War Medal 1914-20 is not exactly uncommon. Issued in the First World War, about 6.5 million were struck in silver and 110,000 in bronze.

Four medals awarded to members of the Robertson family included one to a Battle of Trafalgar veteran.

Tom W Ayling is an antiquarian bookseller dealing in rare books and manuscripts.

With crossover interest to several collecting disciplines, early manuscript recipe and remedy books continue to thrive at auction.

Specialist dealer attending photographic fair tells ATG about the latest trends in this market

A case containing plumes from the Duke of Wellington’s hat was central to a lot offered by Hannams (25% buyer’s premium) in Hampshire on March 11.

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