Latest News Articles by Tom Derbyshire
Four Derby winners reunited after museum’s auction success
19 December 2022A set of four miniature oil paintings depicting Derby-winning racehorses belonging to John Bowes (1811-85), co-founder of The Bowes Museum, has been reunited after being bought at auction.
Ascot Gold Cups gallop in on same day
19 December 2022While Ascot Gold Cups are not uncommon, the sight of two heading down the home straight to a rostrum finish on the same day was definitely rare.
1966 and all that: when England made history
19 December 2022A hat-trick of six-figure prices was achieved for England 1966 World Cup hero Alan Ball’s (1945-2007) winner’s medal, cup final shirt and World Cup cap.
Famed E&J Burke baseball and beer poster emerges in Berkshire auction
19 December 2022The authorities in Qatar may not think so, but beer and sport can perform rather well together.
He saw the Hand of God
19 December 2022The soaring demand for sport memorabilia is evident from the result for the shirt of a player who did not even make it on to the pitch for a famous game.
Unusual golf clubs chip in at regional firms
19 December 2022The Higgs Deliverer ‘rake iron’ club was an attempt to solve a tricky golf problem: how to hit the ball out of sand, high grass or similar terrain.
Scottish football shirt bought by a Texas Ranger
19 December 2022A happy football fan in Texas – quite possibly with Caledonian roots – is now the proud owner of the first jersey to come to auction from Rangers’ 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph over Dynamo Moscow.
Previews: issue 2573
19 December 2022A selection of seven upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.
Olympic swimmer Rose set a gold standard
19 December 2022Murray Rose (1939-2012) became the youngest Olympian to win three gold medals during one Games, aged just 17 in 1956.
Olympic Games collection comes up in Cardiff saleroom
19 December 2022Anthemion (20% buyer’s premium) in Cardiff offered an extensive selection of Olympic Games memorabilia at auction.
A Jacobean double portrait and a 1950s Bakelite telephone are among six lots to watch
12 December 2022With estimates from £500, here are six previews of items coming up at auction this week.
That’s the way to do it if you buy Punch and Judy at auction
05 December 2022Punch and Judy shows in Britain date back to as early as 1662 – recorded by Pepys – with origins in the charismatic 16th century Italian puppet Pulcinella.
A Catherine the Great seal found in a biscuit tin is among five lots to watch
05 December 2022With estimates from £800-30,000, here are five previews of items coming at auction this week.
Lesser-known manufacturers play their part in the toy market
05 December 2022Forget names such as Palitoy, Britains, Dinky, Sindy, Bing and Marklin for a moment – recent auctions have shown the demand that can exist for lesser-known manufacturers and brands in the toys world.
Super four figures for a space car
05 December 2022This Japanese ‘Super Car’ tinplate vehicle is an unlicensed model, probably based on the Supercar vehicle from Gerry Anderson’s 1960s UK television series.
Holy automatons, Batman – it’s a Japanese robot!
05 December 2022Nomura was one of the biggest Japanese toy makers post-war and is now particularly renowned among collectors for mechanical toys such as robots.
“We had lots of interest – he had everything going for him": Early Steiff teddy put in the picture
05 December 2022This wonderful photo taken in 1914 shows the Coghill family plus a rather hairy friend: a rare large Steiff centre-seam teddy bear c.1906.
Young Victoria, the doll version
05 December 2022Lucy Peck ran The Dolls’ Home, a successful business that opened in Regent Street in London in 1893.
Action stations for a three-day auction
05 December 2022Over the course of 35 years Andy Houldsworth amassed one of the largest collections of Action Man and similar action figures in the UK.
Toys and collectables: Renowned enthusiast's collection causes a stir at Cheshire saleroom
05 December 2022Such was the renown of toy collector the late Jack Tempest that when his collection came up for auction many of the bidders who flocked to the sale on November 10 recognised a lot of the items on offer.