Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Doll was given with royal seal of approval
31 January 2022An English all-wooden doll originally presented by Queen Charlotte to her goddaughter sold for $200,000 (£148,000) at a US auction.
Toys & collectables: Mini drivers power into saleroom
31 January 2022Pedal cars are regular visitors to salerooms but rarer powered versions were also produced for children to use, partly for road safety training
It’s good to Torck
31 January 2022Certain areas became hubs for the manufacture of toys, such as Nuremberg and Erzgebirge in Germany.
Buyers keeping eyes on toys as investments
31 January 2022A new American firm, LCG (Legacy Collectibles Group) Auctions, sold what it described as “the highest graded Cobra Commander GI Joe action figure in existence” in a timed sale last year.
Clowning around on a tricycle
31 January 2022A rare, early 20th century Fischer tin clown tricycle wind-up toy sold for a premium-inclusive $2300 (£1725) despite not being in working condition.
Sindy sought by nostalgia-minded collectors
31 January 2022These days, marketing a doll as Sindy’s saucy sister would be problematic. And the less said about outfits titled Hockey Honey or School Days, the better.
‘Traditional’ bears up well
31 January 2022Prices for more traditional toys such as dolls and teddy bears may not be at the heights of years gone by, but demand remains strong for the best items and rarities.
German mass market appeal
31 January 2022A rare large-scale Erzgebirge mid-19th century painted wooden market was one of the stand-out lots of the largest-ever Toys, Dolls, Dolls’ Houses and Teddy Bears sale to be staged by Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium) in Newbury.
Variations that are key to Star Wars figure value
31 January 2022As in so many collecting fields, slight variations can be key when it comes to pricing of TV generation toys.
R100 and Concorde toys take off at auction
31 January 2022Before the crash of the R101 during its maiden voyage to France in October 1930, there had been great excitement around the potential of the airship.
Pick of the week: Meiji 10 yen pattern coin takes £260,000
24 January 2022Rare Japanese Meiji gold coin emerges at auction in West Sussex
Weapon owned by tragic 1912 Antarctic explorer makes eight-times estimate in Kent
24 January 2022A sword sold at Kent auction house C&T (22% buyer’s premium) belonged to a British Antarctic explorer who died in 1912 – but not with Robert Falcon Scott.
Previews: issue 2527
24 January 2022A selection of 15 upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.
Market-fresh Henry Moore sculpture heads from mantlepiece to auction house
19 January 2022Dreweatts is offering a market-fresh Henry Moore (1898-1986) figural group sculpture, Mother and Child, on March 16.
Previews: issue 2526
17 January 2022A selection of 12 upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.
The death penny ‘issued in error’ to a deserter
17 January 2022The ubiquitous First World War memorial plaques – the ‘death penny’ – need to have a posthumous recipient of note to sell for anything more than £50-100.
Red alert as early Arsenal shirts impress
03 January 2022Arsenal FC’s familiar red jersey with white arms is instantly recognisable to football fans worldwide now. However, a pair of shirts sold at the Graham Budd (20.5% buyer’s premium) December 1-2 auction in London show an earlier look.
Heroic exploits of naval skipper who later came a cropper
03 January 2022Many of the unsung British heroes of both world wars served in the royal and merchant navies carrying and protecting supplies to Russia or the USSR.
‘Tommy’ was a remarkable wartime countess
03 January 2022A group of medals awarded to a First World War ‘Tommy’ sold for a mid-estimate £2400 at Kent auction house C&T (22% buyer’s premium) on October 20-21. Not that unusual, it would seem.