Auctions

News and previews of art and antiques sold at auctions throughout the UK and overseas, from multi-million-pound blockbusters to affordable collectables.


Portrait of a Child, René Kieffer by John Singer Sargent

Fresh-to-the-market John Singer Sargent portrait emerges at Paris auction

16 September 2026

An early portrait of a child by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) has come to auction in France, having never left the family of the sitter.

Francesco Xanto Avelli plaque

Rediscovered ‘Grand Tour’ maiolica plaques to highlight specialist sale in Salisbury

15 September 2026

Two maiolica plaques by the celebrated Renaissance artist Francesco Xanto Avelli (1487-1542) have resurfaced after more than 140 years out of the public eye.

Coral hair comb

Hair combs collection spanning 300 years comes to auction

15 September 2026

A group of 240 hair combs, pins and ornaments from a vendor who began collecting in the 1960s will be offered at auction.

Canaletto drawing

Rediscovered Canaletto drawing to appear at Oxford auction

15 September 2026

A previously unrecorded drawing by the great Canaletto (1697-1768) has emerged for sale at Oxford auction house Mallams.

Richard Cosway portrait

Richard Cosway portrait is among five lots to watch

14 September 2026

With estimates from £2000, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week

Peter Rabbit's Almanac

Beatrix Potter family collection comes to auction in Cumberland 

11 September 2026

A group of books, letters and photographs from the family of Beatrix Potter’s (1866-1943) great-nephew, the late Brigadier John Heelis OBE (1921-2008), will come to auction next week.

Gladwyn Turbutt collection

Works from Derbyshire's Ogston Hall to be auctioned at Cheffins

11 September 2026

A selection of art and antiques from Grade II Listed Ogston Hall, near Alfreton, Derbyshire, will be offered at Cheffins sale in Cambridge next week.

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Auction results for John Smart trio in Germany are a sign of the times

11 September 2026

Portrait miniatures by the renowned British artist face a different and difficult modern mindset

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Final toast to Neumeister firm: last auction ahead of autumn closure

11 September 2026

Neumeister (25% buyer’s premium), a stalwart of the German auction market, held its last auction in Munich this summer.

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Clock dating back to 1584 takes five figure sum in German auction

11 September 2026

For over 300 years, 12 generations of the Liechti family in the northern Swiss town of Winterthur built clocks.

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Peeping and spying in a New York saleroom

11 September 2026

The auction titled The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile held at Doyle (28% buyer’s premium) included a collection of 18th century peepshows and an original oak viewing box.

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Gilbert blossomed growing in his own way

11 September 2026

In retrospect, it was a blessing for Victor-Gabriel Gilbert (1847-1935) that his parents did not have the money to finance his training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

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Bid Barometer: issue 2760

11 September 2026

ATG’s pick of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com, featuring both the highest prices over-estimate and the top prices paid online

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‘The greatest movie never made’ sees the light in script form

11 September 2026

Film scholars have described Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon as “the greatest movie never made”.

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Battleship and trains in Bavarian auction spotlight

11 September 2026

Toy specialist Lankes (25% buyer’s premium) in the small Bavarian town of Döhlau could harvest a bumper crop of good results during its sale of July 20-24.

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McAlpine collection: Bonkers but brilliant for buyers

11 September 2026

Lots from the extraordinary collection constructed by the McAlpines come to auction in Berkshire

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Wartime welcome at the 19th hole

11 September 2026

A rare Edwardian silver and enamel cigarette case was the unexpected highlight of a timed online sale held by Bushey Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Hertfordshire.

Books and works on paper auction calendar, September 16-30, 2026

11 September 2026

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

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Salver salutes the skills and success of a politician

11 September 2026

A recent sale at Moore Allen & Innocent (21% buyer’s premium) in Cirencester included a massive Victorian silver tray or salver by the prominent silversmith Edward Kerr Read (London 1873).

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German couple’s collection generates a white-glove response

11 September 2026

Hargesheimer (25% buyer’s premium) in Düsseldorf devoted an auction to the sale of 61 works of art from the collection of a couple from Wiesbaden who had spent many decades amassing sculptures and old master paintings.

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