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.

Bust of Robert Browning

Browning family archive entices worldwide interest

20 June 2022

The contents of a small London museum devoted to Victorian poets Robert Browning (1812-89) and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-61) sold for just under £100,000 at auction in Essex.

img_62-4.jpg

A 19th century sculpture and Fidel Castro's cigar box are among six lots to watch

20 June 2022

With estimates from £800-100,000 here are six previews of upcoming items.

img_28-1.jpg

Shackleton maps out his routes

20 June 2022

Dramatic rescue of 1916 was recorded visually by the polar explorer two years later

img_12-1.jpg

Classic cars: Why the pre-war era is seen as the golden years of motoring

20 June 2022

The thirties became a period when mass production and Art Deco style combined to power cars to new heights of usage and popularity before war intervened

img_18-1.jpg

The depleted Britains set still full of appeal

20 June 2022

The Britains Boer War Army Service Corps Supply Column set is described by toy soldier expert James Opie as “one of the must-have sets for keen collectors”.

img_42-5.jpg

Superman and his wallpower

20 June 2022

This Superman Krypto-Raygun is a vintage projector toy that allows the user to flash picture stories onto the wall.

img_29-3.jpg

Rare broadside bid to £2800

20 June 2022

Bid to £2800 via thesaleroom.com in a Forum Auctions (25/20/12.5% buyer’ premium) sale of May 5 was this seemingly very rare broadside published in London by James Catnach.

img_42-7.jpg

Deruta portrait plate offered in Paris

20 June 2022

This Italian maiolica plate painted with a profile portrait of man and an inscribed scrolling ribbon comes from Deruta and dates from the early 16th century.

img_19-1.jpg

Chests from four centuries apart

20 June 2022

These two oak boarded chests, made to similar techniques four centuries apart, were offered for sale recently.

img_19-3.jpg

Glasgow style mirror flies over estimate in Ayr auction

20 June 2022

This Scottish Arts & Crafts brass framed mirror, above, is the epitome of the so-called Glasgow Style.

img_63-1.jpg

Royal visitor takes the rostrum

20 June 2022

A regular two-day auction of silver, art and antiques? Not at Whittons in Honiton, Devon, where the firm called its sale on June 8-9 a ‘Jubilee auction’ and auctioneer Ed Whitton donned a suitably patriotic jacket and tie to sell a good range of lots such as Georgian silver and Victorian jewellery.

img_28-4.jpg

Gravesend: three miles beyond Jamaica

20 June 2022

Bid to £4000 – 10 times low estimate – in a May 18 sale held by Tennants (22% buyer’s premium) of Leyburn were two albums of what were defined as grotesque-style caricature portraits.

img_24-1.jpg

Fitzgerald: it’s a family affair

20 June 2022

A group of 39 lots at Dreweatts’ latest Old Master, British and European Art sale on May 26 came from a descendant of the artist John Anster Fitzgerald (1832-1906).

img_14-1.jpg

Fifties Mercedes-Benz takes auction pole position

20 June 2022

The world record for a car sold at auction was broken last month when a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was hammered down for €135m (£112m) on May 5.

img_36-2.jpg

Trailblazer Booth showed beauty of older items

20 June 2022

A group of 140 lots owned by dealer Joanne Booth is coming to auction in Henley-on-Thames this summer.

img_16-1.jpg

Staffordshire pottery: Creators fired up by their beliefs

20 June 2022

Grisly figures burning at the stake reflected religious background of Staffordshire potters

img_17-1.jpg

Record price set for a Louis Wain ceramic cat at Kinghams

20 June 2022

In June 2008, Canterbury Auction Galleries claimed a record price for a Louis Wain ceramic when a version of the 11in (28cm) Futurist Cat in blue with Amphora factory marks sold at £8200.

img_22-3.jpg

Grand Tourists who got serious

20 June 2022

The term ‘Grand Tour picture’ is somewhat amorphous. It is mostly used to refer to 18th century and 19th century works purchased by wealthy young gentleman on their travels around Europe, particularly in Italy, as they ‘completed’ their education.

img_23-1.jpg

Lesser names become estimate-busters in Somerset sale

20 June 2022

Strong prices do not always have to be seven, six or even five figure sums.

img_14-3.jpg

Giulia gets away successfully

20 June 2022

This exciting 1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA 1300 emerged for auction at Tennants (10% buyer’s premium).

News

Categories