Collectables

While other rock stars were demolishing hotel rooms or setting their trousers and their instruments alight, Queen guitarist Brian May was busy buying Victorian photographs.

A private US collector spent £2.48m at Christie’s, acquiring all four of the early William Shakespeare folios on offer in a specially-staged auction.

Classic car and motorcycle specialist H&H Classics is bringing in talent from outside the auction world to lead its next phase of development.

An early printed copy of the laws of rugby appeared at Rogers Jones in Cardiff as part of a themed sale titled Sweat, Mud & Blood. Auctioneer Ben Rogers Jones said: ”In 25 years of our business, it is the most valuable book we have sold and probably the smallest.”

Football Sport Auctions Limited, a Merseyside company specialising in auctioning football memorabilia, ceased trading in April owing large sums to a long list of consignors.

A signed copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 promising freedom to all slaves in the rebel states will be offered at an upcoming Sotheby’s sale in New York.

A private collection of Charles Dickens’ novels put together by a collector in the early 20th century went under the hammer in Cuttlestones' latest sale.

A large scrimshaw-decorated nautilus shell by Charles B Wood sold for an unexpected £8500 at Charles Miller’s latest sale of maritime antiques in London. It sold to a UK private collector.

Salisbury-based auctioneers Woolley & Wallis have launched a new department and welcome Ned Cowell as their head of Arms & Armour, Medals & Coins and Militaria

“When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not.” The wise, if somewhat mangled words of Yoda, are ones that the great and good of the art and antiques trade will sagely nods their heads to. Then again, a nice patina and original condition are often just what’s needed.

Renowned classic car auctioneer Max Girardo has left RM Sotheby’s to set up his own London-based brokerage, Girardo & Co, which will deal “in only the highest quality cars available to the market”.

As West Ham and Manchester United prepare to play the final match at Upton Park tonight, the East London club have announced that fans will have the chance to buy their own slice of Hammers’ history with an extensive auction of memorabilia, including fixtures and fittings from the stadium itself.

Oxford’s Bodleian Library has acquired a map of Middle-earth annotated by JRR Tolkien (1892-1973).

Now in its 12th year, the annual 40-dealer National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair is increasingly attracting visitors, some from Germany, Italy and Denmark, to have their vintage tackle valued by dealers, particularly by Neil Freeman of event sponsors Angling Auctions.

Bonhams set a record auction price for any British motorcycle with the sale of a 1938 Brough Superior 750cc BS4 for £331,900.

Interesting oddities that were ironed out in subsequent editions bump up demand when it comes to book collecting. A good example of this is coming up at Wolverhampton auction house Cuttlestones on May 6.

Just before Easter, the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in Notting Hill wrapped up 14,000 pieces of design dating from the Victorian era to the present day.

Certain moments in films stay razor sharp in the mind long after you have seen them. Mention ‘Jack Nicholson’ and it is odds-on a mental image will spring up of that terrifying ‘Here’s Johnny’ scene from The Shining.

A rare American stamp stolen in 1955 in one of the most famous thefts in philatelic history has been recovered after turning up at Spink.

Three leading specialists in orders, decorations and medals are leaving Spink to join rival London firm Dix Noonan Webb.