Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Pick of the week: A ‘nice honest pair’ of blue john vases that made £40,000
15 June 2020In 1765 the engineer and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) visited Paris, where he observed first-hand the workshops of bronziers and the wares that were proving hugely popular with Georgian Britain’s elite.
Watches: More left in the Tank – Cartier’s most famous watch
15 June 2020Over a century old, Cartier’s most famous watch is seemingly ubiquitous on the market. But pre-war examples of the Tank are scarcer than one might imagine.
LS Lowry lithograph and English delft plate are among six lots to watch at auction this week
15 June 2020With estimates from £160-8000 here are six previews of upcoming items this week.
Auction previews: issue 2447
15 June 2020Fifteen upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.
Market for iconic Rolex 'tool' watches turns tropical
15 June 2020The market for vintage mechanical wristwatches, which began in earnest in Europe in the 1990s, is not yet fully 30 years old but is maturing rapidly.
Rolex displays make the perfect accessory
15 June 2020From the 1950s-70s, the Rolex produced a range of memorabilia given only to dealers to promote the brand. A vibrant market has grown in the past decade that has broadened the world of watch collectors beyond horology.
Art Deco sculpture takes a final dance as the near-total trading ban looms over antique ivory
15 June 2020As the implementation of the Ivory Act 2018 draws closer, it is approaching closing time at the last-chance saloon for UK owners who wish to monetise Art Deco chryselephantine sculpture.
Bretby: the most affordable way to collect decent Victorian art pottery
15 June 2020A large collection of Bretby Art Pottery formed part of the final day of selling at a recent auction at Hansons’ Bishton Hall saleroom in Staffordshire.
Neoclassical cameo features among five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes this week
12 June 2020ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a Neoclassical agate cameo that made over 50-times estimate and a watercolour of Oxford from 1789 that went over 20-times estimate.
I’ll get my sandals – a big welcome for Roman bronze
08 June 2020Among the best-performing lots at the latest mammoth sale held by TimeLine in Harwich, Essex was this 1st-2nd century hollow-formed bronze foot.
A Lowestoft teapot, Georgian woodwork tools and an Omega watch are among the five lots to watch at auction this week
08 June 2020With estimates from £200-15,000 here are five previews of upcoming items this week.
A detailed look at microscopes and much more
08 June 2020Fine examples lead an array of scientific instruments and photographica at specialist sale
Desirable Dutch and English delft lead ceramics attractions in Derby and Newbury
08 June 2020This 8½in (21cm) Delft blue and white tulip vase below is typical in style and form of the De Metale Pot (The Metal Pot) factory.
Fans for staying cool in the social sense
08 June 2020Keeping cool was just one of the many uses of the Georgian and Victorian fan.
Chinese dish marking new era of quality turns heads in Edinburgh sale
08 June 2020Estimated at just £50-70, this Chinese porcelain saucer dish sold online for £7850 at Edinburgh saleroom Franklin Browns (15% buyer’s premium).
Politician and peer in portrait form brings strong interest at Surrey auction
08 June 2020A group of portrait miniatures sold recently by John Nicholson’s (30/25% buyer’s premium) in Haslemere, Surrey included this English school image, c.1700, of William Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster.
Chad Valley toy rises to the saleroom challenge
08 June 2020The Chad Valley tinplate toy 'The Climbing Miller' is based closely on an earlier ‘gravity’ toy called 'Gustav the Busy Miller' that was one of Lehmann’s most popular issues made for close to 50 years in the pre-war era.
Dwight’s ‘Cologne ware’ jug for Thomas Rose brings bidding at Macclesfield auction
08 June 2020Most surviving 17th century brown salt glaze vessels were made in Germany, typically in Frechen, close to the city of Cologne.
Rare phonograph ready to play in Cologne sale
08 June 2020The Parisian clockmaker Henri Lioret (1848-1938) entered the market for ‘talking machines’ in an unconventional fashion – his first patented device of 1893 was a talking doll.
Auction previews: issue 2446
08 June 2020Sixteen upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.