Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Clocks by Big Ben and royal clockmaker on sale at Chiswick Auctions
30 August 2016London Bridge is falling down, goes the song. A bit further upstream, it turns out that the Houses of Parliament are actually doing the falling down.
Canterbury Cathedral Great South Window stonework up for auction
16 August 2016It is not every day you get the chance to own a unique, original piece of the oldest church in England still in use. If that is your desire, on September 24 your prayers will be answered.
Early Earth aka Black Sabbath memorabilia coming up at Sheffield auction
13 August 2016Ozzy Osbourne is famous for not only fronting the trailblazing heavy metal band Black Sabbath but also drink and drugs and wild antics such as biting the head off a bat on stage.
Usain Bolt Olympic 2012 stadium track section to be sold at Graham Budd auction
10 August 2016The Olympic Games produce magical memories and high achievement and few competitors have created so many memories and achieved as much as Usain Bolt.
Brian 'Braaq' Shields painting coming up at Lindsay Burns auction
06 August 2016Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In which case, LS Lowry must be one of the most ‘flattered’ artists around.
Screen collage by Joe Orton's lover and killer Kenneth Halliwell at auction
04 August 2016August 9, 1967. That was the day when Kenneth Halliwell killed his lover Joe Orton using a hammer. Nine blows to the head. Halliwell then committed suicide.
Golf gold medal from 1904 St Louis Olympic Games tees off at Christie's auction
03 August 2016When American amateur golfer Robert E Hunter won a gold medal at the 1904 Olympics he could not have ever envisaged that the next chance to compete in the Games would be 2016.
Golden Age of Polar exploration inspires at Bonhams exhibition and DNW auction
02 August 2016The Golden Age of Polar exploration is a constant source of fascination. Essentially, this period is the first three decades of the 20th century, when names such as Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen and Peary came to fame.
Appeal launched to save the Wold Newton Roman coin hoard for public collections
30 July 2016How much would 700 chickens, 2000 of the finest fish or 11,000 pints of beer cost you these days? A hoard of 1857 Roman coins discovered in the north of England would buy any of those options.
Peter Wilson tribal art auctions show African influence on Pablo Picasso and Cubism
29 July 2016Pablo Picasso is revered as a key pioneer of Cubism, the radical approach to representing reality that he spearheaded with Georges Braque in the early 1900s. As with so many art movements, its roots extend further back, however.
1933 AC Ace close coupled fixed head coupe barn find sells at auction for £19,000
28 July 2016Flat tyres and a thick film of dust, dirt and grime. Last on the road in the 1960s. It doesn’t exactly scream ‘buy me’. Especially for a £19,000 hammer price. Not to mention the fact that it’s going to cost you many thousands more to restore.
Paper peepshows from Gestetner collection given to the V&A
28 July 2016Without computers, virtual reality was a very different concept 200 years ago. Clever use of optics and illusion was the key, as a paper peepshow collection given to London’s Victoria and Albert Museums demonstrates beautifully.
Memento mori jewellery deadly serious at auction
27 July 2016A skull and crossbones ring or a skeleton on a chain are now likely to be seen hanging from a Goth looking like they have just stepped out of a Tim Burton film or heading for the biannual Whitby music fest.
Lord Ashcroft buys ‘unique’ Victoria Cross from 1875 colonial campaign
26 July 2016A ‘unique’ Victoria Cross at auction usually means one thing – a bid from Lord Ashcroft. And that’s exactly how it turned out at the latest orders and decoration auction held by London saleroom Dix Noonan Webb.
Original Ghostbusters merchandise at specialist toy auction in Bristol
25 July 2016Who you gonna call? If you have ectoplasm seeping through the floorboards then ‘Ghostbusters’ is the obvious answer, shouted loudly.
Medal from Celtic’s first-ever cup victory to be offered at Glasgow auction
21 July 2016Fighting valiantly through the Champions League qualifying rounds after overcoming the mighty Lincoln Red Imps last night, Celtic are well on the way to emulating their 1967 Lisbon Lions European Cup glory.
Cumbria saleroom launch specialist vintage and antique toy auctions
13 July 2016Dinky toys, antique dolls and a life-sized Dalek will be among the lots offered in Mitchells’ first ever ‘Vintage & Antique Toys’ auction at their Cockermouth saleroom later this month.
Studio pottery in the limelight as works by TV’s Kate Malone come to auction
12 July 2016Studio pottery has been hogging the arts and crafts headlines for a while now. In recent years collectors have really taken this field to heart and items produced by 20th century designers such as Lucie Rie and Hans Coper have been drawing strong bids at auction.
Gary Lineker signed pants on offer at Stroud Auctions
07 July 2016At the time, Gary Lineker’s promise to present the new season’s first Match of the Day in his underpants if Leicester City won the Premier League didn’t seem like a rash pledge to make.
Collection of first British rider to wear the yellow jersey comes to Macclesfield auction
28 June 2016How times change. The British cycling roll of honour now features such illustrious names as Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome, Laura Trott and Victoria Pendleton.