Duke's

Duke’s Auctioneers, established in 1823, is one of Dorset’s oldest businesses. From the premises it moved into in July 2015 in Dorchester, the firm holds a number of auctions every month.

Duke’s sales specialise in fields such as ceramics, glass, Asian art, furniture, jewellery, silver, militaria and coins.


Charles Haslewood Shannon portrait

Shannon portrait turns heads at Surrey auction

28 August 2025

Among the most eye-catching pictures that emerged at the summer auctions around the country were a couple of early 20th century portraits of young women.

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Attic amphora displays the god Dionysus

25 August 2025

From a deceased estate in Christchurch, this Attic black-figured terracotta neck amphora sold at £23,000 (estimate £3000-5000) at Duke’s (25% buyer’s premium) of Dorchester.

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Creature comforts: desirable Doulton stoneware with the George Tinworth touch

25 August 2025

During his career at Doulton Lambeth, George Tinworth was celebrated for his series of New Testament scenes modelled in terracotta.

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Bridehead revisited: Dorset home delivers a ‘textbook’ bumper country house sale

11 August 2025

Auctions like this don’t come along often these days.

Cecilia Gave and Knut Knutson

Swedish auction house take-over as Stockholms Auktionsverk buys Uppsala

26 June 2025

The latest saleroom round-up including news of Stockholms Auktionsverk acquiring fellow Swedish auction house Uppsala Auktionskammare

Bullock desk

Two Bullock desks sell at auction on same day

16 June 2025

Serendipity had it that two Regency pollard oak and ebony inlaid desks attributed to George Bullock (c.1762-1818) came for sale within a matter of hours on June 12.

George Bullock desk

You wait ages for a George Bullock desk to come along, and then…

11 June 2025

Serendipity has it that two Regency pollard oak and ebony inlaid desks attributed to George Bullock (c.1762-1818) come for sale on the same day this week.

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Photography: Early achievers bring auction demand

17 March 2025

Recent auction sales shone the spotlight on pioneering photographers active in the first days of the art

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Art collection saved from the flames (twice) comes to auction

02 December 2024

More pieces appear from a collection that survived a couple of devastating blazes at the family home

Thomas Gainsborough Humphrey Tugwell C.1763. Photo Credit Dan Weill

Gainsborough portraits on public display for the first time

05 October 2024

Four Thomas Gainsborough (1727-88) family portraits acquired under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme have gone go on public display for the first time.

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Breitling dives into Dorset auction

02 September 2024

Duke’s September 11 sale of Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Currency includes a fine array of vintage and second-hand branded wristwatches.

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Original historical dresses spotted by eagle-eyed bidders

27 August 2024

A pale blue and white striped garment offered at Martin & Pole’s (22% buyer’s premium) General Auction on August 7 was simply described as an “antique silk dress, appears in a photograph worn by Esther Palmer in around 1925”.

White Star Line notice

Titanic interest: Rare White Star Line notice to Olympic passengers and a Carpathia bronze medal steam ahead at auction

18 July 2024

Duke's Summer Auction in Dorchester featured a remarkable notice issued by the White Star Line to passengers on board the RMS Olympic after the sinking of its sister ship, the Titanic.

ATG letter: I feel I should post some praise for this service

24 June 2024

I have frequently locked horns with auction houses over their increasing postage costs.

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Collection of devoted fan sets H&R Daniel demand test

17 June 2024

Porcelain from the Staffordshire factory takes up half a sale – and it’s just the first part of a huge collection

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Whether country or town views, Newlyn artists are setting the scene

10 June 2024

More paintings on offer in Dorest saleroom from the Cornish ‘school’ show the market strength

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Artist Kathleen Scale's work weighed up by a fresh audience

10 June 2024

The opening section of Duke’s latest Art & Design post 1880 sale was devoted to the ‘forgotten’ artist Kathleen Muriel Scale (1913-2006).

De Morgan tile

Group of prime period De Morgan tiles take close to six-figure sum at auction

29 April 2024

The Art & Design post 1880 sale at Duke’s in Dorchester on April 25 included 44 lots of William De Morgan tiles consigned by descendants of Arthur James Balfour (1848-1930), Earl of Balfour and prime minister from 1902-05. He is understood to have bought them directly from De Morgan in Fulham.

2642AR Edit Dukes Charles I 5000 Gold Unite

Coin hoard found under a farmhouse floor all sold in 'white glove' Dorset auction

25 April 2024

Coin hoards found buried in fields are a relatively common occurrence. One discovered under a concrete floor not so much...

Life study by Kathleen Scale

‘Jazz age’ paintings removed from barn emerge at Duke’s

19 April 2024

A cache of works by the ‘forgotten’ artist Kathleen Muriel Scale (1913-2006) will appear at a Dorset auction next week.

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