Canterbury Auction Galleries

Canterbury Auction Galleries in Kent are collectables and fine art auctioneers. Established in 1991, they hold regular valuation days and their auctions offer a range of items including pictures, jewellery, silver and furniture.


img_16-3.jpg

Aumbry cupboard for leftovers becomes first choice for bidders

30 June 2025

A recent sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) was led by this example of early English furniture: an oak aumbry or dole cupboard.

img_17-1.jpg

Gerrit Jensen is the suggestion as marquetry strong box maker

26 May 2025

Like many English joiners of his time, not a great deal is known about the private life of Gerrit Jensen.

img_23-2.jpg

Antarctic artefacts in demand at two recent auctions

28 April 2025

A letter from Robert Falcon Scott – aka Scott of the Antarctic – came up for sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) on April 11-14.

img_19-4.jpg

Dickensian world of blacking brought back to mind by stoneware bottle

24 March 2025

Blacking ink was widely used in the 19th century for the cleaning and polishing of boots and shoes, floors and doorsteps.

img_20-6.jpg

French ‘Industrial’ clock generates interest in Canterbury

17 March 2025

The French inventor André Romain Guilmet (1827-92) took out many patents for his ingenious designs including in 1868 the idea for a driving chain on a bicycle.

img_20-1.jpg

Flower pictures by Garden of England artists bloom in Kent saleroom

10 March 2025

Focus on two flower paintings created in Kent by different artists but offered at the same local saleroom

img_24-1.jpg

Impressive model guns fire the imagination

11 November 2024

Two examples of substantial model presentation cannon came up at different salerooms recently.

img_38-2.jpg

Hughes prices go with the tidal flow

16 September 2024

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).

Arthur Hughes seascape

Why two coastline views made contrasting prices at Canterbury auction

28 August 2024

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).

img_13-7.jpg

Heart and sold: Henry VIII spoon impresses at Canterbury auction

15 July 2024

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).

img_20-1.jpg

Actor Peter Barkworth also had a private passion for collecting

20 May 2024

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

img_15-2.jpg

Lebenstein’s beastly work raises its head in Kent

11 December 2023

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

img_34-3.jpg

Peter Cushing: fangs for the memories

09 October 2023

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.

img_26-2.jpg

Metal detectorist discoveries continue to appeal at auction

04 September 2023

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

img_25-2.jpg

Your own Lindisfarne Gospels to treasure

27 March 2023

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

img_21-1.jpg

High society portraits generate enduring appeal

30 January 2023

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

img_39-1.jpg

Photos of Himalayan heights draw plenty of attention in Canterbury

14 November 2022

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

img_29-1.jpg

RAF: elite Path Finders lead a look at the market

31 October 2022

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.

img_42-2.jpg

Old bottles contain plenty of appeal for collectors at Canterbury auction house

17 October 2022

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.

img_27-3.jpg

Four Quartets and a signature add up to £1750

05 September 2022

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'.

News

Categories