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.

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No 1 Barbie in swimsuit bidder takes the plunge at £7000

20 January 2025

The highlight of an extensive selection of Barbie dolls offered at Wessex Auction Rooms (19% buyer’s premium) proved to be, as predicted, an example of the very earliest produced.

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European discovery of Australia and the Pacific documented in detail

20 January 2025

Peter Arnold’s (20% buyer’s premium) auction of the first part of the Alexander Collection held in Melbourne, Australia, achieved a selling rate of 80% with 15 lots sold in the following days, all at the reserves, to several buyers.

Essex Book By Chase Owen

Owen Chase’s first-hand account of sunken whaleship sells at auction

17 January 2025

A first edition copy documenting the sinking of the Essex by a sperm whale in 1820 went under the hammer at Potter & Potter

Pele And Brazilian Team

Early Pelé card bid to nine times estimate at auction in Sweden

17 January 2025

An early card collectable of Pelé recently emerged at auction in Sweden – the country where he won the World Cup for the first time.

Andre Previn Lithograph

Our pick of 10 items that sold at Hansons' Eric Morecambe sale

16 January 2025

A lifetime collection of showbiz memorabilia brought sunshine to Morecambe & Wise collectors on January 10 as 807 lots from Eric Morecambe’s personal archive were offered by Hansons.

Young Woman From Sanwich Islands

Lots illustrating Captain Cook’s fatal third voyage to appear at Forum Auctions

15 January 2025

A first edition book documenting the voyage by a crew member is on offer at Forum Auctions

Barbara Hepworth archive

Collection of Barbara Hepworth drawings and working notes sells at Chiswick Auctions

15 January 2025

An archive of annotated sketches and correspondence showing the working methods of sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975) sold for £20,000 at the end of last year.

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Pick of the Week: An incentive to stay in Canada

13 January 2025

British regiments stationed in Canada in the early to mid- 19th century suffered from a peculiar problem: soldiers had a habit of deserting across the American border.

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Winnie the Pooh archive offers a 'unique opportunity' for collectors

13 January 2025

A previously unseen Winnie the Pooh archive is on offer at Stourbridge saleroom Fieldings on January 16.

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Thunderbirds are going, going, gone at auction

13 January 2025

A rare group of Fairylite Thunderbirds action figures sold for £2100 in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) latest Toys, Models, Collectables & Sporting sale.

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American touches catch the eye as German toy loco steams into sale

13 January 2025

Although made in Nuremberg by a firm named after a Frenchman, the cowcatcher on the front of this Gauge 1 toy locomotive gives the game away as to the intended market.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, January 15-February 2, 2025

13 January 2025

Our regular listing of books and works on paper sales

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Wartime Mouseman shows ‘striking’ colour contrast to Seventies pieces

13 January 2025

A suite of three oak panelled bedroom pieces with original invoices from the Robert Thompson workshop were the stand-out lots at a recent sale at Gildings (24% buyer’s premium) of Market Harborough.

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The home decorated to luxury liner standard

13 January 2025

Lanchester Road in County Durham is a route leading eventually into the village of that name, surrounded by fields but essentially unremarkable.

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Early football memorabilia hits the spot

13 January 2025

A cornerstone in any early football library is 'Association Football & The Men Who Made It', the history of the modern game in its first half-a-century as written by Alfred Gibson and William Pickford and published by Caxton in 1905.

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Extraordinary English bird book tops estimate in Ireland

13 January 2025

Over 300 watercolours were produced for each one of the 60 copies of a remarkable ornithological work

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Sharp competition for Viking relic making rare appearance

13 January 2025

Viking artefacts seldom appear at auction and when they do, they cause quite a stir.

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Frankenstein comes to the stage

13 January 2025

Based on Mary Shelley’s novel published in 1818, the play 'Frankenstein; or the Man and the Monster, A Romantic Melo-Drama, in Two Acts' debuted at the Royal Coburg Theatre in July 1826.

2676 NEDI NIB Guy Gibson RAF Cloth Wings

Guy Gibson’s RAF wings highlight auction of Dambusters memorabilia

10 January 2025

A pair of RAF cloth wings from Dambuster wing commander Guy Gibson’s uniform more than doubled its estimate at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough, Leicestershire on January 7.

Essex Book By Chase Owen

First-hand account of ill-fated whaleship that inspired Moby-Dick heads to auction

09 January 2025

A first-hand account documenting the 1820 sinking of American whaleship the Essex heads to auction on January 16.

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