Features

It’s not often that a group of medals offered at auction includes two that were in fact officially revoked. However, a lot that appeared at an East Yorkshire auction house on June 27 reflected a notorious tale of colonial corruption.

A robe worn by magician and comedian Tommy Cooper (1921-84) during the performance in which he which he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on stage has been sold at a North Yorkshire auction.

Even unboxed, this Matchbox Superfast 3c Porsche 911/930 Turbo with BP shield on the door motored away from a £100-150 estimate to hammer at £1900.

Railway locomotive nameplates can bring large sums in the saleroom, even when they are included in general rather than specialist auctions.

A fine Indian Kashmir shawl of intricate traditional design offered in Colchester included a sewn label 'Horatia E Erskine, June 26th 1861 (Indian) from H.M. Queen Victoria'.

A “very rare” First World War pair of medals and memorial plaque to a female casualty of the SS Lusitania came up for auction at Mayfair saleroom Noonans (24% buyer’s premium) on July 16.

Builder’s ship models are exactly the kind of old-school exhibits that museums are hiding away in dusty storage or selling off. Fortunately for auction houses, they are instead being welcomed into collections by eager buyers.

The A 1971 Austin J40 pedal car is a relatively common sight at auction and the best tend to make around the £3000-5000 mark. For an example to make more than that it would have to be something very special.

During Edward Belcher’s fruitless two-year search for the lost Franklin expedition from 1852-54, many attempts were made to communicate with Inuit hunters in the hope they would have news of Franklin’s men.

Hard to believe perhaps in today’s glamorous world of the Champions League, but the great Ferenc Puskás (1927-2006) and Real Madrid once graced the turf of Scottish football club Kilmarnock.

As with many popular film and TV brands such as James Bond and The Avengers, manufacturers were eager to cash in on Thunderbirds with an array of merchandise.

Modern-day observers of the Scottish football scene could be forgiven for thinking that Celtic dominance is perfectly normal.

This classic showman’s living van was made in c.1935 by Hurst’s of Retford for Charles Tuby of Doncaster.

A trio of racing car models captures the excitement of 20th century land speed record attempts.

The ‘T’ on the front of this rather grand Victorian or Edwardian fire brigade helmet probably proved the difference when it came to demand.

Walter Child (1840-1930) and Harold Child (1848-1915), the sons of an East End pawnbroker who left a fortune of £30,000, opened as art jewellers in 1880 at 1 Seville Street, Belgravia.

A previously unrecorded Elizabethan gold and enamel signet ring, a gift from the influential Tudor financier and merchant, Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-79), sold for £42,000 at Noonans (24% buyer’s premium).

Just a month after a rare Christian Dior (1905-57) musical brooch was sold Tajan in Paris, two more examples appeared for sale at Fellows’ (30% buyer’s premium inc VAT) Handbags & Accessories auction in Birmingham on June 24.

A modestly estimated Van Cleef & Arpels, 18ct yellow gold gem set charm bracelet from c.1960 did particularly well for Dreweatts.

Antique and vintage jewellery remains a strong suit across a broad range of styles, periods and values.