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.

Mottisfont seal matrix

Rare medieval seal matrix bought by the National Trust at auction returns to its original home after 500 years

01 August 2023

A rare medieval seal matrix that was found by a metal detectorist in a field and offered at auction will now go on display at its original home.

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A Napoleonic prisoner-of-war ship model is among five lots to watch

31 July 2023

With estimates from £300, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.

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Top stories this week including the Foyle family library coming to auction

30 July 2023

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of an enormous collection of books and artworks from the library of the late Christopher Foyle emerging for sale.

Darwin notes

Darwin notes reveal evolution of a book

24 July 2023

Christie’s Books and Manuscripts sale on July 12 included a remarkable copy of 'Insectivorous Plants' by Charles Darwin (1809-82).

Beeleigh Abbey library

Library from famed Foyle books family up for sale

24 July 2023

More than 10,000 books and artworks from the library of the late Christopher Foyle are coming to auction in Cirencester.

A drawng in The Illustrated Autobiography

Pick of the week: Family collection of manuscripts and pictures tell story of an artist lost in sadness

24 July 2023

A poignant description of life as an artist studying at the Royal Academy in the mid-19th century emerged at auction and more than doubled its estimate.

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Photographica: Double visions – stereoscopes

24 July 2023

An early version of virtual reality, the Victorian craze of stereoscopes is firmly in focus this summer

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Signs sales signal a robust market

24 July 2023

Born into a Jewish Orthodox family in Brooklyn, New York, Seymour Stein (1943-2023) discovered his love of pop music early on, listening to records and memorising Billboard magazine’s charts.

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Sir Brian May: one vision

24 July 2023

Denis Pellerin, co-curator of the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy (BMAS) and co-curator of the upcoming Watts Gallery exhibition, tells ATG about the collection

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Black Forest chess set bid three times over estimate

24 July 2023

Once thought to have been produced in the Black Forest region of Germany, chess sets like the one offered at Ewbank’s (30% buyer’s premium) on June 23, used to be called Luther sets.

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Kreem of the Truro collection

24 July 2023

A Cornish saleroom offered over 300 enamel signs, advertising memorabilia, pump globes, vehicle mascots and collectables from a single-owner collection.

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From chocolate and tea to tyres and petrol: a promotional selection of results

24 July 2023

Recent advertising highlights from UK sales and an Italian auction

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US photos vendor strikes gold with westward expansion

24 July 2023

Rather than the rich and famous it was this photograph of three haggard workers that caught the eye in a Cincinnati saleroom.

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Stereoscopic viewer perfect for a sales drive

24 July 2023

Looking more like a sale brochure when unopened, the embossed front cover shown below in fact conceals a rare 1906 stereoscopic viewer.

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Meat and greet: butcher’s slabs display collecting popularity

24 July 2023

Victorian and Edwardian pottery butcher’s slabs made to display lard, butter and margarine are relatively frequent visitors to UK salerooms.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, July 25-August 18, 2023

24 July 2023

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions held on thesaleroom.com

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Huge archive of slides takes 40 times the top estimate

24 July 2023

Anyone sitting through a slideshow of images from an extraordinary photograph collection of Indian, south-east Asian, and Middle Eastern subjects sold in a US auction could be there for a long time.

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Science works from big hitters attract new fans

24 July 2023

Collecting genre is being boosted by fresh bidders with deep pockets who work in the technology sector

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Look at the big picture thanks to huge Leica dummy sales models

24 July 2023

Leica cameras of rather different dimensions to normal clicked into action at Chiswick Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

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Album revealing roots of Kew gardens is on export hold

24 July 2023

A group of drawings which helped develop the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK buyer can step in.

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