Features

The personal stories behind medals are becoming increasingly relevant to collectors.

Vice Admiral Davidge Gould was the last surviving member of Nelson’s Band of Brothers, dying in 1847

In its earliest days flying was frequently lethal, in and out of combat.

By the end of the First World War it has been estimated that over eight million horses had died.

Medals awarded to a gallant soldier who was gassed in the First World War were sold at auction just a few minutes’ walk from the house where he was born.

Works by Mr Brainwash (b.1966) are becoming an increasingly common sight at auction.

A group of eight Andy Warhol (1928-87) prints came to auction at Van Ham (32% buyer’s premium including VAT) in Cologne at the end of last year, including a few of his most famous subjects from documented editions of the 1960-80s.

Allen Jones (b.1937) is regarded as one of the pioneers of early British pop art.

The term ‘pop art’ normally conjures up images of colourful and ‘hip’ artworks from the 1950s-60s.

Key artists in the American pop art movement such as Roy Lichtenstein (1923-97) and Andy Warhol (1929- 87) make big ticket prices.

Among the graphic works on offer in Thomaston Place’s Winter Enchantment sale in Maine on February 24-26 are these two prints by Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

In August and September 2021 London gallery Whitford Fine Art held an exhibition titled Sand Casts devoted to a British pop artist prominent in the Swinging Sixties who had renewed his successful career in the Nineties.

While London gun-makers featured heavily – and lucratively – at Gavin Gardiner’s (25% buyer’s premium) auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on December 14, provincial makers also got a look in.

Birmingham-born Roy Elvis (1944- 2022) inherited his family interest in antiques and started collecting furniture and decorative arts from an early age.

A pair of militaria highlights related to Irish regiments that came up in recent auctions.

A rare Second World War helmet worn by members of a little-known unit of the UK home front comes for sale at Sworders on February 7.

A selection of militaria with solid Sussex interest appeared at Lewes saleroom Wallis & Wallis (22% buyer’s premium).

Specialist buyers turn out in force to bid for rusty ‘warts and all’ weapons amassed by dealer-collector

A major draw to a recent Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) sale of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art was a cache of Qing porcelain and hardstone carvings previously owned by Anthony de Rothschild (1887-1961).

Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) ‘part II’ sale of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art at the end of last year included Chinese export porcelain from ‘the china store of a Somerset country house’.