Canterbury Auction Galleries

Two views of the same stretch of Cornish coastline by Arthur Hughes (1832-1915) both attracted interest but made contrasting sums at a recent sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium).

A Henry VIII silver and parcel gilt apostle spoon, stamped to the stem with a distinctive maker’s mark of a heart in a conforming heart and dated London 1532, caused quite a stir when it appeared at Canterbury Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium).

Despite Peter Barkworth’s very public profile his art collecting was a much more personal matter

An eastern European picture that commanded bidding at a recent UK regional auction was a trademark painting by Polish artist Jan Lebenstein (1930-99).

Peter Cushing’s (1913-94) six-decade acting career featured more than 100 films furnished many fond memories – and of course provided plenty of memorabilia.

Metal detectorists continue to be the best supply of ancient and medieval jewels onto the market.

Sold at the high-estimate £3500 at a Kent auction was a German facsimile edition of the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Society portraits from the early part of the 20th century retain a good following at auction

Henry Lee Shuttleworth (1882- 1960) worked for many years in the Indian Civil Service.

Air Commander J Searby had a key role to play in the Peenemunde Raid targeting the V weapons factory during the night of the August 17-18, 1943, as part of the RAF’s elite Path Finder Force.

Forty years after he began identifying Victorian rubbish heaps then digging in them, a Kent collector’s faith in the saying ‘where there’s muck there’s glass’ was vindicated when fellow enthusiasts demolished estimates on scores of his old bottles.

A small collection of the works of TS Eliot offered in a Canterbury Auction Galleries (22.5% buyer’s premium) sale of August 6-7 included what appears to have been a 1943, first US printing of his 'Four Quartets'.

The Crimean War inspired many Staffordshire flatback figures - including this rare model made to mark the end of the conflict in 1856.

A Victorian sapphire, diamond and pearl brooch-pendant was one of two pieces with Indian roots offered for sale at Duke’s (25% buyer’s premium).

Popular figures were created in Chelsea by husband and wife duo Charles and Nell Vyse

Try original advertising artwork if you want to capture the atmosphere of an era.

‘Significant damage and rust’ was spot on as a catalogue description when it came to an enamel sign sold at Cotswold Auction Company (22% buyer’s premium) on February 8. It was a mess.

This 1930s pencil and gouache for the Lawn Tennis Championship Meetings was a poster design for London Underground.

An example of the work of northern artist Norman Cornish (1919-2014) appeared down south at Canterbury Auction Galleries (22.5% buyer’s premium).