Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Bloody Mary spoon creates a stir at £10,800
26 September 2014The quarterly auction of silver and plated wares held by Fellows in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter on September 22 included a family collection of eight apostle spoons formed several generations ago.
Bantry House sale postponed
24 September 2014Lyon & Turnbull have been forced to postpone the sale of the contents of Bantry House, County Cork because of delays in obtaining a licence from the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) to hold the sale on the premises. The sale was scheduled to take place on October 21.
Jensen jewellery shines in Boston
18 September 2014This silver and labradorite floral necklace designed by Georg Jensen c.1915 sold for $17,000 (£10,970) at a recent auction held by Skinner of Boston.
Remarkable gift that was customised by Constable rediscovered
16 September 2014On March 29, 1833, John Constable gave his daughter Emily a copy of Isaac Watts’s book ‘Songs, Divine and Moral’.
Auction house charged over ivory sale
08 September 2014A West London auction house is facing court, charged with the sale of a modern elephant ivory carving under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) (CITES) Regulations 1997.
Church’s table turns out to be a blessing in disguise
01 September 2014This George III neoclassical style mahogany serving table was entered for sale at Nesbits in Southsea from a church in Portsea to raise funds for repairs. It is thought the table was given to them to replace the altar table destroyed by bomb damage.
How would Scottish Referendum affect art ownership?
29 August 2014If Scotland votes for independence on September 18, how might this affect the ownership of art North and South of the Border?
V&A secures Egyptian revival cabinet
27 August 2014This Egyptian revival medal cabinet, considered one of the finest pieces of French Empire furniture in Britain, has been ‘saved for the nation’ after a campaign by the Victoria & Albert Museum was successful in raising £534,000.
Scotland votes 'yes' for Brecbannoch of Columba in replica
22 August 2014With the Scottish referendum only weeks away, there could hardly be a better time to offer a replica of a reliquary which for centuries was a powerful symbol of Scotland’s national identity.
Noah’s Ark draws in the bidders
22 August 2014German-made painted wood Noah’s arks, appealing to folk art and toy collectors alike, don’t get much better than this mid-19th century example sold recently at Brightwells in Leominster.
Nantgarw Friends to hold Bank Holiday antiques fair to help with fundraising drive
21 August 2014In April 2013, the Nantgarw China Works Trust took on the lease of the site of the Nantgarw pottery where porcelain was produced under the aegis of William Billingsley between 1813-14 and again from 1817-19.
Coslov majolica collection comes to London
20 August 2014Highlights from the Coslov collection of English majolica will be on show in London next month prior to their sale at Freeman’s in Philadelphia on October 7.
Dreweatts appoint new chairman
19 August 2014Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, the art and antiques subsidiary of The Stanley Gibbons Group, have appointed George Bailey as their new chairman effective from September 1.
Spencer’s Great War masterpiece reopens after restoration campaign
18 August 2014Earlier this month, 100 years to the day since the outbreak of the First World War, Sandham Memorial Chapel near Newbury reopened to the public after restoration.
‘Moggy Ming’ bowl sets £90,000 house record
15 August 2014The opening lots of a recent sale at Reeman Dansie of Colchester comprised a collection of Chinese porcelain which included a rare bowl that was apparently a favourite resting place for the family cat.
Della Robbia pottery sees revival in London and the regions
15 August 2014There are signs that last year’s publication of ‘The Della Robbia Pottery’ by Peter Hyland has given a lift to the market for the distinctive wares produced in Birkenhead by Harold Rathbone and Conrad Dressler between 1894-1906.
Georgian world in miniature
13 August 2014Chichester firm Stride & Sons included two fine Georgian miniatures in their latest sale.
Benjamin West drawings take a combined £112,000
12 August 2014Two drawings of Old Testament subjects by the American-born portrait and history painter Benjamin West (1738-1820) proved the highlight of the latest sale of Old Masters & 19th Century Works on Paper at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions’ saleroom in Mayfair.
Leeds flat clearance yields Qing treasure
08 August 2014There was huge pre-sale interest from the Far East in this Qing jade table screen at the latest fine art sale held by Tennants of Leyburn.
Far Eastern market grows for Chinese Export silver
08 August 2014It’s only recently in the decade-long boom in Chinese works of art that Far Eastern buyers have come to appreciate once again the merits of Export silver. Once a neglected area, academic interest has been piqued in the subject as the marketplace moves in leaps and bounds.