Collectables

The Age of Oak sale at Woolley & Wallis (26% buyer’s premium) on April 9 was built around the collection formed by antiques dealers Bruce and Margaret Howard.

An RAF uniform, log book and medals that belonged to one of ‘The Few’ was a highlight when Cornish saleroom Lay’s (21% buyer’s premium) dispersed the contents of Flambards theme park.

Both parts of the excellent Jason Pilalas collection delivered suitably impressive results for London auction house Noonans

It’s probably no surprise that, even in the days of digital first, printed catalogues are still loved by rare book collectors.

An embroidered glove understood to have been worn by Charles II at his Scottish Coronation in Scone in 1651 sold for £7000 at Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Woking.

An early leather-bound feather golf ball consigned for sale from a house move in Old Woking in Surrey comes for sale at John Nicholson’s in Haslemere on May 14.

Possibly a pair with Franklin, but saleroom unable to trace another example depicting Washington

An intriguing collection that came from a house of a well-connected Devon family caused a stir when it emerged at Exeter saleroom Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (26/25% buyer’s premium).

Operation Chariot on March 28, 1942, was one of the most daring British commando raids of the Second World War, aimed at destroying the heavily fortified dry dock at St Nazaire used by the German battleship Tirpitz.

Veteran antique arms and armour specialist David Williams is joining the Olympia Auctions team as senior consultant.

A watercolour of a dandelion attributed to Beatrix Potter estimated at £200-300 ended up selling at a hammer price of £2600.

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

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the University of Leeds making available the earliest-known English book about cheese

Several middle-market pocket globes have appeared at regional salerooms recently – here is a selection

As this year commemorates VE and VJ days, there are likely to be even more collectors and dealers than usual converging on the first of 2025’s biannual Britannia Medal Fairs on Sunday, May 11.