Auctions

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


Fontaine's 01A Galle 1 2742IE

Gallé sideboard ripe for a new owner

01 May 2026

According to the lot notes, 11 wood veneers from Macassar ebony to burr maple were used in making the c.1903 Émile Gallé Épis de Blé sideboard.

Mary Magdalen fragment

Headless Mary Magdalen Old Master by Gentileschi takes more than five-times estimate at Vienna auction

30 April 2026

A fragmented Old Master portrait by Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1654), with the head and shoulders of the sitter cut out, took a hammer price of €650,000 (£563,305) at Dorotheum.

Richard Burton books

Personal library of a pioneering British scholar of Armenian and Iranian studies comes to auction

28 April 2026

Volumes from the personal library of a pioneering British scholar of Armenian and Iranian studies form part of Sworders’ latest Books and Maps auction.

Anderson & Garland auctioneer Fred Wyrley-Birch

Important collection of John Tunnard works brings demand in Newcastle

27 April 2026

Newcastle saleroom Anderson & Garland offered what was billed as “the most comprehensive private holding of works by John Tunnard (1900-71) ever to come to the market” this week.

Katrin Stoll

Munich auction house Neumeister to close

27 April 2026

German auction market in shock after news that Neumeister will close.

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Clarice Cliff charger is among five lots to watch

27 April 2026

With estimates from £300, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week

Pocket watch

Second Titanic watch said to have gone down with Astor sells in a US saleroom

24 April 2026

Two years after a Wiltshire auction house set a record for Titanic memorabilia with ‘the watch recovered from the body of John Jacob Astor’ at £900,000, another timekeeper making precisely the same claim has sold in Chicago for $800,000 (£592,000).

Morris & Co tile panels

Morris & Co Labours of the Month tiles work wonders in Edinburgh to reap a £75,000 auction reward

24 April 2026

The latest Design Since 1860 sale at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh was topped by four Morris & Co tile panels depicting the Labours of the Months dated to c.1865.

Australian Aboriginal cricket team poster

Souvenir poster celebrates proud 19th century Aussie pioneers of the cricket pitch

24 April 2026

The first Australian sporting team to tour internationally included players Johnny Mullagh (traditional name Unaarrimin), Harry Bullocky (Bullchanach), Dick-a-Dick (Jungunjinanuke), Johnny Cuzens (Zellanach) and Twopenny (Murrumgunarriman).

Japanese boro futongawa

The world of dealer Gordon Reece comes to Wiltshire

24 April 2026

As a dealer, collector and enthusiast of ethnographic art, Gordon Reece spent a lifetime travelling the globe in search of artefacts.

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Vintage wristwatches on a budget – is it still possible?

24 April 2026

As vintage wristwatches continue to dominate the watch market, finding interesting examples at reasonable prices has become a challenge. However, opportunities are out there

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Royal Alice sets sail ‘on sailcloth’ as naïve paintings charm bidders

24 April 2026

Among the most intriguing naïve pictures sold recently was a simple and ostensibly unassuming painting of a ship offered at a recent Dominic Winter (22% buyer’s premium) auction.

A marble bust

ATG letter: AI attributions – are we building up problems for the future through questionable ‘facts’?

24 April 2026

Railtons [auction house] received this heavy and rather grubby Victorian marble bust just as our end of March catalogue was going to press.

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Brounker Watts pocket watch up for grabs

24 April 2026

The London watch and clock maker Brounker Watts (c.1670-1717), an apprentice to Joseph Knibb, became a member of the Clockmakers Company in 1697.

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Natural history books from stock of Amsterdam specialist shine in London saleroom

24 April 2026

The global market for natural history books is alive and well as demonstrated by the 326-lot sale dubbed Natural History: the remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk 1899-2026 at Forum Auctions (27/26% buyer’s premium).

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Previews: issue 2741

24 April 2026

Our selection of stand-out lots from nine upcoming auctions

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Kiwi pin cushion picked out as a rarity at Gloucestershire sale

24 April 2026

Flightless bird walks away with a new owner as silver novelty rarities catch the eye at Kinghams

Books and works on paper auction calendar, April 29-May 19, 2026

24 April 2026

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

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Anglo-Indian furniture in a good market place

24 April 2026

Though sourced separately, the two best-selling furniture lots at Gorringe’s (25% buyer’s premium) latest Fine Art & Interiors sale in Lewes were both products of colonial India.

Number plate ‘LOT 2’

And now we come to Lot 2, which is... well, it is Lot 2, literally

24 April 2026

What to buy the auctioneer who has it all?

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