North America


Harry Potter books

Complete signed first edition run of seven Harry Potter books comes to auction

08 July 2025

A group of seven first edition hardback copies of the Harry Potter books, all signed by author JK Rowling, are being offered by Heritage Auctions.

Canaletto view of Venice

Top 10 Old Masters at auction

08 July 2025

The record-setting £27.5m Canaletto at Christie’s last week represented the sixth highest sum ever recorded at auction for an Old Master. But what others feature in the top 10?

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Compelling canine eyes draw you in

07 July 2025

This 18 x 15in (45 x 38cm) oil portrait of an English springer spaniel is by the great Orientalist Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).

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Luxury car company may have skimped on poster artist

07 July 2025

Rolling to top lot honours in New York at Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) was a 1929 poster for the long defunct automotive brand Pierce-Arrow.

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Sex sells: The Pearl erotic magazine

07 July 2025

The notorious Victorian-era erotic magazine 'The Pearl' (subtitled 'Journal of Facetiae and Voluptuous Reading') was published by William Lazenby in London between July 1879 and December 1880.

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Spot the goalie competition: toy footballers score at auction

07 July 2025

Footballers were among the very first of the Britains hollowcast lead ‘civilian’ figures.

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Ornithologist provenance trumps pope, cardinal and king owners

07 July 2025

Watercolour can be traced back to nobleman and antiquary who commissioned the illustrator Leonardi

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Lalique fox mascot with ‘many imperfections’ still takes $27,000 at US auction

07 July 2025

One of the rarest of all of the 31 car mascots made by Lalique from 1925-31 came up for auction at Jeffrey Evans & Associates (25% buyer’s premium) in Mount Crawford, Virginia.

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Fleming signature boosts rare copy of Bond

07 July 2025

The presence of the author’s signature dramatically enhanced the value of a copy of Ian Fleming’s (1908-64) first collection of James Bond short stories 'For Your Eyes Only' offered at an auction at University Archives (25% buyer’s premium).

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Woolf takes bidders to the lighthouse

07 July 2025

Swann Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium) recorded head-turning sales during its series of New York sales in May.

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Obituary: Toy specialist Ray Haradin

07 July 2025

It is with sadness that I advise the passing of a wonderful person who was also my client, Ray Haradin. He was only 60.

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Works of Confucius with French royal twist

07 July 2025

A foundation document of Western sinology appeared at Freeman’s Hindman (28% buyer’s premium) in Chicago.

Landseer landscape

Landseer view of a loch without animal life brightens US auction

07 July 2025

British artist famed for The Monarch of the Glen also painted landscapes for his own pleasure

Movers June 25

Relocations and new gallery openings are among the latest Movers & Shakers

25 June 2025

The latest news from around auction houses, dealers and conservation specialists

Robin Starr

Bonhams Skinner settles in at ‘better Boston location’

23 June 2025

Bonhams Skinner has moved to a new location in Boston’s Back Bay neighbourhood.

Abraham Lincoln photograph

Only photograph of Abraham Lincoln with a family member emerges at Bonhams

23 June 2025

Bonhams is offering a rare portrait of former US President Abraham Lincoln seated with his young son Tad.

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The ‘Mignon’ who eventually married Rodin

16 June 2025

A bronze cast of the Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) bust 'Mignon' hammered for $97,500 (£73,350) at Black Rock Galleries in Fairfield, Connecticut.

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The blades of glory

16 June 2025

Edged weapons such as swords and daggers are on a ‘hot streak’ as one saleroom puts it. Here we look at the latest highlights

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Oh dear, I missed a couple of ‘0’s: musical box sings at US auction

16 June 2025

Lynbrook, New York auctioneer Phil Weiss of Weiss Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) admitted to a minor slip when cataloguing a silver gilt and enamel singing bird music box.

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Ruhlmann chandelier caught the attention at a French fishing club

16 June 2025

A chandelier that Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879-1933) made for a French fishing club hammered for $90,000 (£67,240) at Wright (27% buyer’s premium) in Chicago.

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