Tennants

Tennants is a longstanding family-run auction house with a saleroom in Leyburn, North Yorkshire and offices in Harrogate and London. It also has representatives across the country.

The major expansion to its Leyburn premises in 2014 means that, in addition to its purpose-built salerooms, it also has catering, conference and events facilities.

Tennants’ sale calendar includes Fine Art Sales, Country House Sales, Modern Art and Interiors Sales, fortnightly Antiques and Interiors Sales, and other specialist sales in a range of collecting fields.


Fighting Stallions

Fighting Stallions set Mouseman auction record

13 October 2025

A new benchmark for a Mouseman carving has been set by Tennants’ 20th Century Design department.

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Sèvres bottle coolers sell to French bidder at 20 times the top estimate

13 October 2025

A pair of 7in (17cm) Sèvres porcelain bottle coolers (seau à bouteille) sold for £6000 as part of Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) recent Country House Sale.

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Rare prison records judged to be worth an £11,000 bid

15 September 2025

Calendars listing details of prisoners in a 17th century gaol prove popular in North Yorkshire saleroom

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Comprehensive First World War uniform groupings catch the eye

08 September 2025

Halls’ (24% buyer’s premium) latest Militaria, Naval and Aviation Auction in Shrewsbury offered a tempting selection of lots such as First World War uniforms in decent condition.

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Westwood sale brings seventies punk spirit to rural Yorkshire

08 September 2025

What was thought to be the largest private collection of Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) garments to be sold outside London went under the hammer at Tennants (24% buyer’s premium) in North Yorkshire on August 15.

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Minnie and Mickey Mouse car mascots stand out again

08 September 2025

A pair of Minnie and Mickey Mouse car mascots now displayed on a wooden stand once had a much grander location, as a photo included with a lot in The Summer Transport Sale at Tennants (24% buyer’s premium) reveals.

Harlequin Mini Crini

Vivienne Westwood collection brings punk spirit of the 1970s to the Yorkshire Dales

20 August 2025

What was thought to be the largest private collection of Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) garments to be sold outside London went under the hammer at Tennants (24% buyer’s premium) in North Yorkshire on August 15.

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Tommy Cooper magic robe bought by illusionist David Copperfield

11 August 2025

A robe worn by magician and comedian Tommy Cooper (1921-84) during the performance in which he which he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on stage has been sold at a North Yorkshire auction.

Florence Hess painting

New high for Florence Hess as cook’s pictures are served up at auction

05 August 2025

Tennants’ latest picture sale in Leyburn featured a group of 26 British Impressionist paintings relating to the artistic communities at Staithes and Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. They raised a hammer total of £32,180.

Fowey Harbour by Joseph Southall

‘Charming and dream-like’ Joseph Southall picture sails to £30,000 at Tennants

30 July 2025

The highest auction price for Joseph Edward Southall (1861-1944) for eight years came at Tennants (24% buyer’s premium) latest British, European & Sporting Art sale.

2705AR Tennants Tommy Cooper Robe

Magic robe worn by Tommy Cooper during his last performance now bought at auction by David Copperfield

25 July 2025

A robe worn by magician and comedian Tommy Cooper (1921-84) during the performance in which he which he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on stage has been sold at a North Yorkshire auction.

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‘Critter’ bookends and Doulton mask make for lively sale

14 July 2025

Back in July 2019, Lawrences in Crewkerne set a new high for a Mouseman carving when a pair of elephant bookends by master carver Stan Dodds (1928-2012) sold at £10,000.

Alfred Wallis painting

Grandmother’s Alfred Wallis purchases bring reward for vendor

20 June 2025

Provenance is all important when it comes to the works of Alfred Wallis (1855-1942).

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Extinct species skeleton brings £17,000 result

02 June 2025

This skeleton of an extinct cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) sold for £17,000 in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) Natural History and Taxidermy Sale.

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Nuts about novelty silver: Crichton claret jug nets £36,000

26 May 2025

This bright-eyed and bushy-tailed claret jug designed in 1882 by Alexander Crichton sold at a hammer price of £36,000 at Tennants of North Yorkshire.

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Numbers add up to good result for revolutionary mathematical book

26 May 2025

Important mathematical work by young German genius Gauss makes a rare appearance at auction

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Operation Chariot medal group charges in to auction

05 May 2025

Operation Chariot on March 28, 1942, was one of the most daring British commando raids of the Second World War, aimed at destroying the heavily fortified dry dock at St Nazaire used by the German battleship Tirpitz.

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Murphy’s Falcon Studio produced fine silver

07 April 2025

These two silver lots bear the mark of Henry George Murphy (1884-1939), whose Falcon Studio produced some of the finest English silver of the inter-war era.

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Mouseman works going, going, gong in Yorkshire

31 March 2025

The craftsman-made Yorkshire oak furniture of Robert Thompson continues to be in high demand at auction.

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The minute chance of mining a pink diamond

31 March 2025

A Cartier necklace with a rare pink diamond was offered by Tennants (22% buyer’s premium) of North Yorkshire on March 15. It sold towards top hopes at £190,000.

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