Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Kookaburra flies into Cumbrian saleroom
06 April 2020Maud O’Reilly (1886-1971), a key figure in Queensland’s Arts & Crafts movement and a student of the LJ Harvey school, showed her pottery at a number of British exhibitions in the mid 1920s.
Edwardian footballer's career and tragic ending remembered in memorabilia sale
06 April 2020The first 20 lots of the recent football memorabilia sale at Stacey’s in Rayleigh, Essex came from the family of the Edwardian player Benjamin Warren (1879-1917).
Auction explorers locate rare silver pocket watch
06 April 2020An unusual late Victorian silver pocket watch by Herbert Blockley of London sold for an unexpected £2800 at Potteries Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Stoke-on- Trent.
Spring auction brings varied array of Asian art to Lewes along with European treats
06 April 2020A cross-section of Asian art – Qing porcelain, Meiji Satsuma and Euro-Asiatic ivories – provided the prizes at Gorringe’s (21% buyer’s premium) spring sale held in Lewes.
Rare ‘Brooks slavery ship’ creamware beaker with a dark tale sells at Nottingham auction
06 April 2020A rare creamware transfer printed and painted beaker offered for sale by Mellors & Kirk (20% buyer’s premium) in Nottingham told a dark tale.
Linthorpe pottery dish showing how Christopher Dresser looked to Fiji for inspiration sells in Rotherham
06 April 2020A Linthorpe pottery dish designed for the Middlesbrough pottery by Dr Christopher Dresser sold online well over a £400-600 estimate for £4200 at Paul Beighton (17.5% buyer’s premium).
Constance Spry wall pockets for flowers rated high by devotees
06 April 2020Responsible for the flowers at the Queen’s coronation, the society florist Constance Spry (1886-1960) is also credited with the ‘democratisation’ of flower arranging.
Machine exerts a strong influence
06 April 2020The Wimshurst influence machine, an electrostatic generator capable of creating high voltages, was developed between 1880-83 by British inventor James Wimshurst (1832-1903).
Auction record set for British ‘society’ portraitist Ambrose McEvoy at Dreweatts
06 April 2020Artist battles back to regain favour with auctioneers, private buyers and dealers
Victorian travel wardrobe draws interest as it reappears at auction
06 April 2020This deluxe Victorian travel accessory is a ‘campaign wardrobe’ made by Robinson & Sons of Ilkley, Yorkshire.
“The longest time I have ever spent on the rostrum” – Lyon & Turnbull’s live online sale delivers results
03 April 2020Lyon & Turnbull held a remarkably successful sale of Decorative Arts on April 1 – the firm’s first using the ‘live online’ format.
A lion and stallion bronze sculpture, a May Morris panel and a Chinese dragon dish – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
03 April 2020ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a striking bronze of a lion attacking a horse that sold at 22-times its top estimate.
Pick of the week: Mah-jong set that counts for a lot
30 March 2020The popular Chinese game of mah-jong is a relative newcomer.
Exotic touch to anniversary auction with Australian picture at Surrey sale
30 March 2020An early coastal scene of Australia sold for more than five times its top estimate to an online buyer from New South Wales at Ewbank’s anniversary sale.
Immortal bowl’s lasting effect
30 March 2020This Yongzheng (1722-35) mark and period Eight Immortals bowl sold for £26,000 at the Hansons (20% buyer’s premium) auction in Teddington last month.
The minaudière from Mr Arpels
30 March 2020The minaudière, a case for storing several personal items in a small space, first appeared during the 1930s.
How old values still stand firm today
30 March 2020Three Victorian bangles were among the most popular lots of Dreweatts’ (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale of Fine Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Objects of Vertu.
Natural topaz commands a premium at Barbara Kirk
30 March 2020Topaz in its natural state is a golden brown to yellow, a characteristic which means it is sometimes confused with the less valuable gemstone citrine.
A collection of Georgian and Victorian jewellery to remember
30 March 2020A recent Stroud Auctions sale featured a private collection of more than 120 pieces of Georgian and Victorian jewellery. Most were rings, among them many examples of mourning jewellery in a wide range of forms and materials.
A ‘sing-song’ for the inventive James Cox
30 March 2020The London entrepreneur James Cox (c.1723-1800) is best known as a specialist in the intricate clockwork curios encrusted with gold, silver and jewel, referred to as ‘sing-songs.’