Latest News Articles by Terence Ryle
Egyptian king re-emerges for sale in Gloucestershire
31 January 2022Greywacke sculpture headlines a series of high-flying results including £66,000 double bass
From Bond to a snuff box: the Gilbert collections
17 January 2022Collections relating to leading British film director Lewis Gilbert (1920-2018) and his wife of 53 years Hylda (d.2005) provided very different lots for Billingshurst auction house Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium).
Boxers fight their way to the top price level
10 January 2022Rarely do 19th century Staffordshire figures feature among the top-selling lots at auction these days but two bare-fist boxing champions did just that.
Rich pickings from Richmond remains
10 January 2022Left out of the Christie’s sale 20 years ago, but far from remnant-bag pieces, the 11 early needlework items from the Sir Frederick Richmond collection offered at Gildings (20% buyer’s premium) attracted keen interest from UK collectors and specialist dealers.
Castle keeps auctions interest going
10 January 2022Further lots from ancient country seat star alongside a stellar specialist collection.
Sitwell seat sells very well
20 December 2021Appeal of Weston Hall contents particularly enhanced by 20th century occupants
Newlyweds buying Victorian table create a positive feeling for the future
22 November 2021Most angles on the collecting spectrum were covered in Bamfords’ (24.75% buyer’s premium) three-day autumnal catalogue.
Portrait miniature buyers make Smart choices
22 November 2021In demand at home and abroad during his lifetime, the eminent miniaturist John Smart was an international draw at a trio of sales.
Playtime in the saleroom at Hartleys
22 November 2021Top names in their different fields, ages and markets, Wurlitzer and Armand Marseilles were the star makers at Hartleys (17.5% buyer’s premium).
Valuation brings home comfort
15 November 2021Anglo-Chinese huanghuali bureau cabinet was spotted just down the road from saleroom
Carpenter’s hits include chart toppers
01 November 2021Antarctic maps take highest prices in collection relating to key Terra Nova crew member
Musical monkey business proves an attractive ensemble
01 November 2021Eye-catching and ear-pleasing, this early example of a monkey chamber orchestra musical automaton picture was one of the star performers at Tennants’ (20% buyer premium) Scientific and Musical Instruments sale.
Steel string guitar strikes a cord in Lincolnshire auction
01 November 2021Bought in 1952 by a semi-pro Skegness musician who played with East Coast seaside entertainers, this steel string guitar got a big show of hands at Louth auction house John Taylors (18% buyer’s premium).
Scottish ballet impresario's collection in step with decorative fashion
27 October 2021It was not to high-end purist tastes, but ballet pioneer’s collection reeled in eager bidders
London calling at Catherine Southon's Surrey saleroom
27 October 2021Underground or overground, London travel memorabilia amounted to a £95,000 hammer total at Catherine Southon (24% buyer’s premium).
Crawforth collection shows its metal
27 October 2021Aided by strong American bidding action, the collection of Andrew Crawforth, the late Portobello Road trader and leading authority on early metalware, turned base metal into gold when all 431 lots – offered wihtout reserve – sold at Bonhams’ (27.5% buyer’s premium) Edinburgh sale.
Auction full of West Country wonders
18 October 2021Including seafaring, tin, copper, studio potteries and fishing, a Penzance sale covered just about everything from the region bar pasties.
Dapper dummy made in Austria, brought to UK, now heads to US
18 October 2021This ventriloquist’s dapper dummy was one of the surprise star turns at Halls’ (23% buyer’s premium) Shrewsbury auction.
Scandal and sedition in ceramics
27 September 2021Salisbury sale offered commemorative ceramics from single-owner collection
If life gets you down a cup of tea always helps
27 September 2021While Americans demonstrated by throwing tea into the harbour, the British registered complaints by putting the leaves into suitably decorated teapots.