Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
A Fabergé magnifying glass is among five lots to watch
10 July 2023With estimates from £300, here are five previews of upcoming items.
Hergé’s gift to Mr Ward
10 July 2023Tintin creator Hergé (1907-33) must have taken a shine to a Mr TL Ward, judging by a lot sold at an East Yorkshire auction.
The world in your pocket: almanacs in focus
10 July 2023Almanacs became hugely popular as printing made them widely accessible
An Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet artefact is among six lots to watch
03 July 2023With estimates from £2000, here are six previews of upcoming items.
All my world’s a stage – author Ned Boulting on his Tour de France book inspired by an auction buy
03 July 2023A chance purchase at auction during lockdown inspired a whole book on a single day of the Tour de France 100 years ago
Three figure Matchbox auction buy without a an actual car
26 June 2023Matchbox can sell well even when there isn’t an actual vehicle in sight.
Mozart frets about his future marriage in letter coming up at Christie's auction
26 June 2023A handwritten letter by the 26-year-old Mozart coming up for auction at Christie’s reveals a tricky love life.
Painting of London Bridge burning is among five lots to watch
26 June 2023With estimates from £100, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.
Fireball blasts off to four figures
26 June 2023Merchandise relating to an early show from the Thunderbirds creator makes a surprise sum at Kent auction
Sasha dolls in demand at separate UK auctions
26 June 2023Sasha dolls are named after their Swiss designer, artist Sasha Morgenthaler and were made in the UK and Germany from the mid to late 1960s.
Pre-production trials prove key to Matchbox success
26 June 2023The Matchbox Magic sale at Teesside saleroom Vectis (20.83% buyer’s premium) on May 30 lived up to its billing by entrancing bidders.
Attraction of simple Hornby Dublo goods van is plain to see
26 June 2023Not everything offered in the model railway market has to involve a glamorous name such as Flying Scotsman to make a good result.
Why details matter in Star Wars market
26 June 2023Showing little sign of their huge popularity slowing down, Star War figures made a significant contribution to a two-day TV and film-related auction.
Biscuit tins provide far more than crumbs of comfort
26 June 2023Novelty biscuit tin toys delivered a number of tasty sale successes for South Yorkshire auction house BBR (15% buyer’s premium).
Batmobile based on earlier model roars away to Singapore
26 June 2023When the (Louis) Marx toy company produced a friction-drive model Batmobile in the 1960s the plastic car that resulted was really a model of the 1951 General Motors Le Sabre concept show car designed by Harley Earl.
Raise your paddle for a Märklin toy boat purchase
26 June 2023The first lot in Pook & Pook’s (25% buyer’s premium) May 4-5 sale was also the top result. And if you follow the toy boat market, it was also strangely familiar.