Auctioneers

The auction process is a key part of the secondary art and antiques market.

Firms of auctioneers usually specialise in a number of fields such as jewellery, ceramics, paintings, Asian art or coins but many also hold general sales where the goods available are not defined by a particular genre and are usually lower in value.

Auctioneers often provide other services such as probate and insurance valuations.

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The gems of Rani Jindan offered at Bonhams

12 April 2021

The Islamic and Indian Art sale at Bonhams (27.5/25% buyer’s premium) in London on March 30 included this diamond and emerald set forehead pendant (chand-tikka) from the collection of Maharani Jindan Kaur (1817-63).

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Mdina Glass and Leon Osman silver shine bright

12 April 2021

Michael Harris signature piece sells well at auction alongside Louis Osman silver spoons set

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Renaissance herbal without equal

12 April 2021

The binding is an early 20th century one, and the very last leaf has been supplied as an autograph facsimile, but on March 17 the 1578 first English edition of Rembert Dodoens’ A Nievve Herball, or Historie of Plants shown here was bid to £3000.

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Royal jewels at Christie’s and Sotheby’s including a tiara that you can try on virtually

12 April 2021

A spectacular parure of sapphires and diamonds, from the collection of Napoleon’s adoptive daughter, Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden (1789-1860), is for sale at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on May 12.

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Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the mandolin

12 April 2021

Kingham & Orme’s (23% buyer’s premium) first-ever specialist auction of Jewellery & Watches took place on February 19 with just over 200 lots.

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The £15,000 delft puzzle solved

12 April 2021

This particular form of English delft puzzle jug, with its distinctive knopped neck, seems to be peculiar to the second half of the 17th century.

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Archibald Thorburn seagulls fly high at Tennants

12 April 2021

It is often said there is a strict hierarchy for the prices of game bird pictures by the great ornithological artist Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935).

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New audience brings tiara back in vogue

12 April 2021

The popularity of the tiara, that reached its peak in the decades before the onset of the First World War when diamonds from South Africa were in plentiful supply, has fluctuated across the 20th century in line with prosperity and fashion.

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Proud Yorkshireman’s view of God’s Own Country

12 April 2021

Tennants offered a well-received 70-lot sale dedicated to views mostly of Yorkshire from a private collection last month.

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Multi-gem necklaces: ‘Perfect for the enquiring mind’

12 April 2021

A recent Fine Jewellery sale at Fellows (23% buyer’s premium) in Birmingham included an unusual Victorian necklace.

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Modernist market thrives for Grima and Gard

12 April 2021

Dawsons’ (23% buyer’s premium) dedicated Jewellery, Watches & Silver auction in Maidenhead on March 11 included two unusual signed pieces by flavour-of-the-month Andrew Grima (1921-2007).

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Harwood’s two for one offering

12 April 2021

Oil bought by the vendor directly from the artist Lucy Harwood features a still-life on the reverse

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Storied jewels from Mountbatten

12 April 2021

Sotheby’s sold the collection of Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma at the end of last month.

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And they’re off in Salisbury

12 April 2021

Better late than never, Woolley & Wallis will get to hold its January jewellery sale this month – on April 29.

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Sister act – Augustus John portraits

12 April 2021

Depiction of one McNeill sister sets a record while portrait of her sibling also appears at another auction

Phillips New York
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A Lalique bowl and a Rolex Submariner are among four lots to watch at auction

06 April 2021

With estimates from £300-12,000 here are four previews of upcoming items this week.

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Pick of the week: The 'earliest known portrait of an African in Persian art’

05 April 2021

Among the highlights of last week’s Islamic and Indian art sales in London was this late Safavid portrait of a mercenary in the Persian army painted in the cosmopolitan city of Isfahan c.1680-90.

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Auctioneer Lee Young leaves Duke’s and buys local Somerset saleroom

05 April 2021

Lee Young, Asian specialist and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert, has become the new owner of Frome saleroom Dore & Rees. He left his role as managing director at Duke’s last week.

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$1.9m record for British coin set in Dallas

05 April 2021

The record for a British coin has been broken again with the sale at Heritage Auctions in Dallas of an Edward VIII proof pattern £5 for $1.9m (£1.39m).

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