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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Indian art market on a roll

09 January 2026

Expect records to tumble in the market for Indian art and antiques in 2026.

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Hero for both Leicester City and Scarborough fans

09 January 2026

Not that many footballers can be “as deeply woven into Leicester City and Scarborough football history as Colin Appleton (1936-2021)”, it is true.

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Member of the still undefeated GB tug of war team pulls in £6000 at auction

09 January 2026

Did you know that Great Britain are still the Olympic tug of war champions? The City of London Police Team competed for GB in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, winning gold – and the category has not appeared since at a Games.

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'Exceptional' vases boast a Brighton Pavilion link bonus

09 January 2026

This imposing pair of 3ft 8in (1.09m) high hexagonal form vases combine both early 19th century Chinese and later 19th century French craftsmanship.

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The rarest Wisden – but which version?

09 January 2026

Auctioneer finds out there are two variations of the 1875 guide, but a record is achieved nevertheless

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Bonhams’ new Big Apple HQ

09 January 2026

The opening date for Bonhams’ new US headquarters at 111 West 57th Street, New York, is February 9.

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Eager eyes on the precocious George Richmond and 'supremely talented' Leon Bonvin in west London

09 January 2026

A group of works by George Richmond (1809-96) offered at auction at the end of last year showed plenty of life remains in the market for the London-born painter.

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Early example of Gallé in demand as Japonisme foo dog vase makes seven times estimate

09 January 2026

A Japonisme foo dog vase by Émile Gallé (1846-1904) hammered for $35,000 (£26,440) against a guide of $3000-5000 at Rago (27% buyer’s premium) in Lambertville, New Jersey.

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Sale brimming full of character thanks to Doulton designs

09 January 2026

Doulton figures and jugs depicting the famous and not-so-familiar include sought-after rarities

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Goalkeeper Pat Jennings dons white gloves for a sell-out auction

09 January 2026

Once renowned for achievements wearing goalkeeping gloves, Pat Jennings (b.1945) achieved an auction white-glove result when his memorabilia collection sold out at Budds (24% buyer’s premium).

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Kashmiri shawl was given by Victoria as a present

09 January 2026

As ruler of an empire on which the sun never set, Queen Victoria adopted the Indian practice of giving Kashmiri shawls as gifts to visiting dignitaries and coming-of-age and wedding presents to her friends at court.

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Praying for a new auction record

09 January 2026

In February in New York, Sotheby’s will offer for sale one of the most important illustrated Hebrew Prayerbooks to come to market: The Rothschild Vienna Mahzor.

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Children’s classic The Velveteen Rabbit clinches £5000

09 January 2026

While not instantly familiar to many non-American readers, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1881-1944) has never been out of print and its many reprints have sold over a million copies in the US alone.

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No medal but a mini trophy instead for Premier League winner Paul Parker

09 January 2026

Paul Parker will be fondly remembered by many England fans of a certain vintage for his role in the 1990 World Cup campaign (ignore the deflection over Peter Shilton for West Germany’s semi-final opener).

The Happy Family

‘Mysterious’ collection of 18th-century French paintings comes to auction

08 January 2026

A group of 30 Old Masters, including pictures by Fragonard and Watteau, held in a private collection for decades and rarely seen in public will be offered at Christie’s Paris this spring.

Wilde (1)

Extensive Oscar Wilde collection to go under the hammer

07 January 2026

A huge single-owner collection of Oscar Wilde letters, books and portraits is going under the hammer at Bonhams next month.

head study of a bearded man

Bidders overlook condition issues as drawing flies to 50 times estimate in Gloucestershire

06 January 2026

Despite suffering from water damage, wear and loss to the sheet as well as chips and cracks to the later 1950s-style frame, a head study of a bearded man brought intense competition at a recent sale at Wotton Auction Rooms.

Microscope

Dutch buyer secures another British microscope for his museum of science

05 January 2026

A rare Georgian brass microscope by Edinburgh maker John Clark will join an important Dutch collection after its sale in the Cotswolds.

Ronald Searle illustration

Do book collecting terms fox you? Pick up a Searle at auction

05 January 2026

An original illustration for one of the most entertaining works on rare book collecting hammered for £15,000 to lead Mallams’ latest Modern Art & Design auction.

Mamluk manuscript

Pick of the week: Mamluk manuscript gallops to £150,000

05 January 2026

An ‘exceptional and newly discovered’ Mamluk manuscript copy of an Arabic text on hippiatry (equine medicine) was the highlight of Lyon & Turnbull’s latest Islamic and Indian art sale in London.

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