Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Pick of the week: Circus photo album puts on performance at Florida sale
04 September 2023A photo album containing 60 cabinet card photos of late 19th and early 20th century circus acts was among the highlights of an August 27 sale in Sarasota, Florida, conducted by Freedom Auction Company in conjunction with the Circus Historical Society.
Victorian centre table is among five lots to watch
04 September 2023With estimates from £1000, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.
Tiara's history traced to Vienna ahead of sale in Dublin
04 September 2023The September 12 fine jewellery and watches sale at Adam’s in Dublin is led by a diamond tiara bracelet of approximately 38ct set in platinum.
Patent reference helps to sew up profit
04 September 2023A 19th century document referencing Elias Howe Jr’s patent for the first modern sewing machine sold for more than 100 times its estimate at Devin Moisan’s (25% buyer’s premium) sale in Epping, New Hampshire.
French bronze and enamel vases head to Florida sale
04 September 2023Leading the Autumn’s Arrival Auction at Akiba Galleries in Florida on September 12 is a spectacular pair of French bronze and enamel vases of a type shown at the 1878 Paris 'Exposition Universelle'.
Ring of ‘Mr Show Business’ shines at Birmingham auction
04 September 2023A favourite ring of Sammy Davis Jr sold at Fellows (25% buyer’s premium) in Birmingham on August 24.
Cherry pick: sapphire and diamond Cartier brooch comes to Dawsons
04 September 2023The September 21 sale at Dawsons in Maidenhead includes this Cartier natural sapphire and diamond brooch designed as a single bloom of cherry blossom.
Belperron brooch blossoms at Yorkshire auction
04 September 2023A chalcedony, sapphire and diamond flower brooch by Suzanne Belperron (1900-83) was included in Tennants’ (24% buyer’s premium) Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver sale on July 15.
Serpent bracelet and necklace slither into sales
04 September 2023Serpent jewels, symbols of eternity and exoticism, are ever popular and two good examples are on offer this autumn.
Reel appeal of Scottish music
04 September 2023A previously unrecorded 18th century manuscript containing 75 pieces of traditional Scottish music sold for £5000 at Lyon & Turnbull (plus 26% buyer’s premium).
Heavenly delights from Chameroy at Salisbury sale
04 September 2023The precursor to the Woolley & Wallis Fine Jewellery sale on October 25 is a single-owner catalogue devoted to the collection of Jean Louis Chameroy (1946-2020).
Hand-embroidered pannier dress flies over expectations
04 September 2023By the mid-18th century, as the fashion for the pannier dress reached its peak, some women wore dresses measuring 7ft (2.13m) wide.
Art Deco brooch owned by Evelyn Clothier comes to Hindman
04 September 2023The September 12 Important Jewellery auction at Hindman in Chicago includes this Art Deco diamond, jade, cabochon emerald and enamel brooch mounted in platinum.
Arts & Crafts courtesy of jeweller Ella Naper and mentor Frederick James Partridge
04 September 2023Jewellery from the estate of Ella Naper (1886-1972) was offered at Lay’s (21% buyer’s premium) in Lanner, Cornwall on August 10-11.
Find out what is on the cards in future sale
04 September 2023This set of 36 cards is an early edition of what became known as 'Petit Etteilla' cartomancy (fortune-telling) cards.
Toys from short-lived British firm Sacul come to auction in Pittsburgh
04 September 2023These boxed hollow-cast figures of Peter Pan and Captain Hook in a sword fight were made by Sacul in the early 1950s to coincide with the Walt Disney movie release.
Telling time on the front line
04 September 2023‘Wristlets’ bridged the gap as pocket watches transitioned into the modern wristwatch during the Great War but had a significant design flaw in the hinged cover still in place.
Jeweller Cipullo works his alchemy at auction
04 September 2023The Cartier Love Bracelet – the plain gold band with screwheads to lock it around the wearer’s wrist – has become one of the most recognised pieces of modern jewellery.
The second sleeper in Colchester: an intaglio ring emerges at auction
04 September 2023The north European Mannerist bronze sold for £550,000 against a guide of £250-350 was not the only spectacular sleeper in the August 8 sale at Reeman Dansie (22.5% buyer’s premium).
Metal detectorist discoveries continue to appeal at auction
04 September 2023Metal detectorists continue to be the best supply of ancient and medieval jewels onto the market.