Collectables

This polychrome advertising plaque features a portrait of Ninon de L’Enclos, a notorious courtesan who scandalised France by numerous affairs with prominent statesmen and church notables.

Many animals stuffed by taxidermists stand out as fiercesome beasts that could easily have turned on the hunters themselves.

A letter of apology written by George Harrison after two autograph-hunting schoolgirls got a distinctly unfriendly reception when they turned up on the doorstep of his home took £6100 at auction.

In the 007 collecting scene Dr No (1962) is usually the film poster buyers are most keen to say yes to.

Shown here is the original 15ips (inches per second) tape of, by repute, Rod Stewart’s first recording on June 18, 1964, together with a second copy.

In one way, Johnny Berry (1926-94) was luckier than many of Manchester United’s Busby Babes: he survived the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958, that killed many of his teammates.

This jersey dates from between 1886 and 1890, making it not just the oldest Middlesbrough FC shirt but possibly the oldest Football League shirt extant.

Footprint design telling a story of lost love stars among a selection of ‘out of the ordinary’ collectables lots sold at auction

With Arsenal still setting the pace at the top of the Premier League as we went to press, several lots offered at Graham Budd’s (24% buyer’s premium) sale on March 7-8 acted as a reminder of the club’s formative days.

On November 26, 1976, the Sex Pistols released their first single, Anarchy in the UK.

Gold has become the standard to aspire to at the Olympics but for the first version of the modern summer Games it was silver.

Middle-Earth history works edited by Christopher and two copies of The Hobbit with interesting links

“A very rare and early item of cricketing history” is how Knights Sporting Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) describes the large silk handkerchief shown here.

La Lutine, launched by the French in 1779 and later requisitioned into the Royal Navy, is today best known for its sinking.

The visit of ‘Revolutionary Wars’ hero Gilbert du Motler, the Marquis of Lafayette, to the US in 1824 spawned a large number of commemoratives.

A handful of lots featuring communications between an actress, Miss Alice Bowes (1889-1969), and George Bernard Shaw featured in a Mullock’s (20% buyer’s premium) sale.

Beautiful construction, rarity and interesting history combined to make a British-made cutaway model sought after in a Canadian auction.

Sold at the high-estimate £3500 at a Kent auction was a German facsimile edition of the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions

On June 9, 1934, Donald Duck made his debut in a supporting role in a Silly Symphony cartoon titled The Wise Little Hen.