Auctions

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


Lepape's 1927 Vogue cover 'Le Miroir

Still in Vogue: 1920s magazine cover makes $50,000 at auction in New York

13 October 2016

An original 1920s Vogue cover by French illustrator Georges Lepape broke the auction record for the artist last month.

Bronze cat from Toledo Museum of Art

Sixty ancient works from Ohio museum to be sold at Christie’s

13 October 2016

Antiquities from the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio are to be offered at Christie’s in New York this month to benefit the Museum’s acquisitions fund.

Stephan Ludwig

Forum Auctions formalises Italian operations

12 October 2016

Forum Auctions has formalised its deal with book dealer Filippo Rotundo’s Phiobiblon Gallery and will hold Forum branded auctions in Italy later this month.

Ming Dynasty banknote

Rare Ming Dynasty banknote found lurking inside Chinese sculpture

12 October 2016

Auction specialists in Australia have found a rare Ming Dynasty banknote hidden within a Chinese wooden sculpture. The discovery came at Mossgreen as they were cataloguing the extensive collection of Raphy Star – one of the most important collections of Asian art ever to be offered in the country.

Hermès bag

Hermès Birkin: still the handbag of choice at auction

12 October 2016

The original ‘It’ bag, a Hermès Birkin, has proved yet again that it remains the world’s most desirable bag after setting an auction record for Fellows Auctioneers this week.

Hannibal by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Overseas bidders take advantage of weaker pound to lift Frieze-week auctions

11 October 2016

Fewer lots were on offer at this year’s Frieze-week auctions in London but demand generally held up with international bidders taking advantage of favourable exchange rates.

antique coloured diamond necklace

Russian diamond necklaces with Imperial connections given $10m pitch

11 October 2016

Two Russian diamond necklaces, with links to Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Geneva next month with a $10m estimate.

Leakey collection

Out of Africa to Cotswolds sale – Leakey collection heads to auction

11 October 2016

African artefacts, jewellery and fossils from a family collection linked to the celebrated palaeoanthropologists, the late Louis and Mary Leakey, are to be sold later this month at The Cotswold Auction Company.

“Ill-conceived and badly managed” – new Stanley Gibbons boss savages old regime

11 October 2016

The new management of Stanley Gibbons has launched a scathing attack on the way the firm had been run after the collectables and auction group posted losses of £29m.

The Jam memorabilia

Paul Weller’s shoes among highlights of The Jam memorabilia auction

10 October 2016

Frontman Paul Weller’s shoes and bassist Bruce Foxton’s guitars were among 800 lots of The Jam memorabilia auctioned at the weekend.

Chinese musket

‘Supreme Grade, Number One’ – first firearm with Chinese Imperial marks comes to auction

10 October 2016

A musket made in the Chinese Imperial workshops, complete with marks, will become the first of its kind to be offered at auction next month.

Hubert Robert painting

Hubert Robert – French museums’ flavour of the month at auction

09 October 2016

For the second time in a month a French museum has secured a painting by Hubert Robert.

Console tables at Mealy’

Console tables lead O’Reilly lots, selling at €145,000

08 October 2016

A pair of 18th century console tables led a selection of items previously owned by the former billionaire Sir Anthony O'Reilly offered at Irish auctioneers Mealy’s earlier this week.

Lucy McKenzie’s Olga Korbut

‘Frieze Week’ evening sale at Christie’s tops expectations

07 October 2016

Christie’s post-war and Contemporary art evening auction posted a strong performance last night with international bidders visiting London during Frieze week helping to bump up the results.

Livery cupboard at Bonhams auction

Hidden attractions help cupboard to £60,000

07 October 2016

Livery cupboards are a pretty rare species in the oak lexicon but what makes the example shown here particularly unusual is its early date combined with the presence of drawers.

Mallett's Pall Mall home

Maddox Street premises to close as Dreweatts & Bloomsbury join Mallett under one roof

07 October 2016

Auction group Dreweatts & Bloomsbury will close their Maddox Street premises next year to focus on a new London location in Pall Mall.

Alexander Payne of Phillips

Phillips promote head of design Alexander Payne to deputy chairman

06 October 2016

Phillips have appointed design specialist Alexander Payne as deputy chairman.

Japanese Meiji period shodhana

Ornate Japanese cabinet from Leicestershire house takes £34,000 at Gildings’ auction

06 October 2016

“It’s a super quality piece, the sort you can stand in front of for hours appreciating the quality and intricacy,” said Will Gilding in the wake of the sale of this Meiji period shodhana for £34,000.

Still life with Oranges by Vanessa Bell

‘Unseen’ works by Bloomsbury group artists to be sold at Dorset auction

05 October 2016

Bridport saleroom Busby’s will offer ‘unseen’ works by members of the Bloomsbury group on October 20.

Former Nottingham saleroom to become a church

05 October 2016

The Church of England has purchased the former home of Neales auction house in Nottingham.

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