Collectables

The term ‘collectables’ (or collectibles) encompasses a vast range of items in fields as diverse as arms, armour and militaria, bank notes, cameras, coins, entertainment and sporting memorabilia, stamps, taxidermy, wines and writing equipment.

Some collectables are antiques, others are classed as retro, vintage or curios but all are of value to the collector. In any of these fields, buyers seek out rarities and items with specific associations.

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Happy news for salerooms: not the end of Spider-Man

10 October 2022

Four auction records were set in the first 90 minutes of a recent four-day comics and comic art auction conducted by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium).

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English scent bottle emerges in Chicago from a Kansas City collector

10 October 2022

A single-owner collection of 42 gold boxes and objects of vertu from the estate of a Kansas City collector is to be offered by Hindman on October 18.

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Dinosaur on the road to the rostrum

10 October 2022

Giquello et Associés is selling this fossilised skeleton of Zephyr from the Iduanodon family of dinosaurs which is more than 150 million years old.

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Sports medals: FA Cup hero and a show-jumping legend

10 October 2022

The game between Arsenal v Manchester United in 1979 provided one of the greatest finishes in FA Cup final history.

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Firsts finds its feet at the Saatchi Gallery

10 October 2022

A first edition of 'Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith was one of the star sales at Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair, which was back up to full power for its second staging at the Saatchi Gallery.

British and Irish book auctions: October 11-27, 2022

10 October 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Jane Austin's Emma

Rare copy of Jane Austen’s Emma to go on display in the UK after US buyer agrees loan deal via book dealer

06 October 2022

A rare copy of Jane Austen’s Emma will go on display at Chawton House, the former home of the novelist’s brother, after an arrangement was agreed with the US buyer of the book and dealer Peter Harrington.

Brooch

Shipwreck furniture and lock of hair with Horatio Nelson links attract collectors at auction

04 October 2022

A bookcase made from the wreck of Nelson’s former flagship HMS Foudroyant and brooch containing a lock Nelson's hair sold at auction last month.

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Wallpaper well covered by an American auction

03 October 2022

Bonhams conducts a sale in New York on October 6 titled Wonders in Wallpaper.

David Bowie lyrics

Starman soars to an astronomical six figures at auction

03 October 2022

Generating a hammer price of £165,000, the star attraction in Omega’s auction on September 27 was pretty obvious.

John Reckless

Collector Interview: Book written for the grater good

03 October 2022

A wider interest in kitchen-related antiques sparked a specialist collection

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Calcutta seen in colonial days

03 October 2022

Early views of the city now known as Kolkata reveal 19th development under empire

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‘Anatomical first’ makes appearance

03 October 2022

Boasting what have been described as the first accurate anatomical illustrations of the foetus in utero among its 39 engraved plates, a 1761, second edition of William Smellie’s 'Sett of Anatomical Tables… of the Practice of Midwifery' was one of the highlights of an online-only Forum (25/20/12.5% buyers premium) sale of September 15.

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Global interest in Chester

03 October 2022

A pair of 19th century globes by the Newton family is on offer from FE Anderson of Welshpool at the Chester Decorative Antiques & Art Fair.

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Puritan work starts to bear fruit in New England

03 October 2022

Very much the star turn in a Philadelphia sale of September 21 was an extremely rare copy of 'New Englands First Fruits…', a small quarto work, running to just 26pp, that was printed and published in London in 1643.

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Mechanical creative marvels from a comprehensive collection

03 October 2022

From jukeboxes to robotic bands, a comprehensive collection was on offer in Pennsylvania.

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Previews: issue 2562

03 October 2022

A selection of eight upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.

British and Irish book auctions: October 4-14, 2022

03 October 2022

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Manuscript

Bath astronomy museum to raise £108,000 to buy manuscript via Christie’s private sale

28 September 2022

The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath has launched a fundraising campaign to buy a Caroline Herschel memoir.

VC medal

Pick of the week: Kavanagh VC takes auction record sum

26 September 2022

The first civilian Victoria Cross of just five to be awarded has sold for an auction record hammer price of £750,000 at London saleroom Noonans.

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