Auctions

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


William I and Harold II pennies

William the Conqueror coin gets one over Harold at auction

20 March 2025

The two foes met again – this time at an auction at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s in London

Emil Nolde watercolour

Emil Nolde watercolour sells for £29,000 at Halls

20 March 2025

A watercolour by the Expressionist painter Emil Nolde (1867-1956) which underwent a year-long authentication process drew a decent competition at Halls this week.

Tommy Cooper’s fez

Just like that, Tommy Cooper’s ‘last fez’ sells at auction

19 March 2025

Tommy Cooper’s (1921-1984) ‘last fez’ appeared at Hansons in Woburn, Bedfordshire, doubling its estimate to fetch £7000 (plus 26.5% buyer’s premium).

Italian giltwood sofa

Impressive 19th century furniture among highlights at sale of works from Welsh estate Plas Teg

19 March 2025

Welsh auction house Rogers Jones conducted its largest house clearance in over 30 years this month – the principal contents of Plas Teg in Flintshire.

JPR Williams' Barbarians jersey

JPR Williams’ rugby shirt collection offered at Rogers Jones

18 March 2025

A memento from one of the most famous rugby union matches of all time: the Barbarians versus New Zealand in 1973 will go under the hammer at Rogers Jones on April 10.

John Constable sketch

John Constable sketch sells for £320,000 at Tennants

18 March 2025

A previously unrecorded John Constable (1776-1837) sketch attracted strong bidding at North Yorkshire saleroom Tennants this weekend.

Spherical Egg

Bidder shells out for one-in-a-billion spherical egg

18 March 2025

The egg had bidders scrambling for ownership at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter

Kingfisher by Archibald Thorburn

Rare Kingfisher sighting as Archibald Thorburn watercolour brings demand in Essex auction

18 March 2025

As ATG readers may recall from previous articles, when it comes to the works of the great ornithological artist Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) depictions of game birds tend to be the most commercial subjects.

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Monumental De Morgan tile panel with impressive provenance takes £65,000

17 March 2025

A monumental and important William De Morgan architectural tile panel with an exceptional provenance has sold for £65,000 in Stourbridge.

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‘Serpentine’ bicycle shakes up the saleroom

17 March 2025

The velocipede is considered the direct forerunner to the modern bicycle, especially a series of French examples produced with pedals, cranks and handlebars in the 1850s-60s.

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Martin Brothers group set for sale in Sydney

17 March 2025

The Cheong family collection of Martin Brothers comes for sale at Bonhams in Sydney on March 27.

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George Baxter Whitefriars results buoyant

17 March 2025

In a market that waxes and wanes, recent sales suggest collectors are active and pushing up prices

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19th century Indian gold bracelet is among five lots to watch

17 March 2025

With estimates from £150, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week

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French ‘Industrial’ clock generates interest in Canterbury

17 March 2025

The French inventor André Romain Guilmet (1827-92) took out many patents for his ingenious designs including in 1868 the idea for a driving chain on a bicycle.

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Bracket clock by Huguenot talent emerges in Hanover

17 March 2025

The revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the French king Louis XIV in 1685 led to the massive exodus of Huguenots, many of whom moved to Great Britain.

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Photography: Early achievers bring auction demand

17 March 2025

Recent auction sales shone the spotlight on pioneering photographers active in the first days of the art

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Different type of expressionism: three extraordinary character heads

17 March 2025

Produced by a German-Austrian sculptor in the 18th century, three intriguing marble sculptures were among the attractions of the sale at EP Deutsch (24% buyer’s premium) on January 31 in Vienna.

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Sew recognisable as a Jennens & Bettridge production

17 March 2025

A mid-19th century papier-mâché globe sewing table from Birmingham, part of the legacy of a South American collector, has found its way to Heidelberg, where it is being sold by Metz on March 21-22.

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Bridal beaker for a double toast

17 March 2025

Since the 16th century, silversmiths in Germany have produced so-called Brautbecher (bridal beakers), a tradition that still exists today.

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Paperweight princess comes to Munich sale

17 March 2025

A large part of the auction at Neumeister in Munich on March 19-20 is devoted to works of art from the legacy of Alexander Eugen, Duke of Württemberg who died last year at the age of 91.

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