Collectables

Playing cards displaying maps lead a look at a Gloucestershire sale

What would appear to be a rare James Bond promotional poster proved the major attraction of a June 14 sale held by TW Gaze (18% buyer’s premium).

Three lots at Tennants’ (22% buyer’s premium) traced the history of Stan Dodds (1928-2012) – the first and foremost of the Critters.

Sold for $2m (£1.62m) in a major and hugely successful comics sale held by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) of Dallas was an original cover artwork produced in 1986 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1.

“Analogous to the Tunbridge ware but of a superior character” was Robert Russell’s description of his work at the 1851 Great Exhibition.

Sailor’s sweethearts or valentines were once thought to have been made by sailors as love tokens during their long trips away from home.

The Aguttes (25/23% buyer’s premium) Old Masters auction on June 28 at Drouot was led by a Murillo oil on canvas depicting the Christ child as The Good Shepherd.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions

New environmental laws in Germany and France mean overseas sellers of smaller items such as books are tackling another layer of red tape on top of those already presented by Brexit.

The sale of Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh on July 13 included a document signed by the adventurer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618).

This early 17th century harpsichord is inscribed to the name baton for Andreas Ruckers, Antwerp, 1614.

A ‘Jolly Roger’ or pirate flag that records the Second World War exploits of a British submarine flew once more in a militaria sale earlier this summer.

Selection of sale highlights from the exceptional Henry Rogers Broughton collection

A recent sale held by Thomson Roddick (18% buyer’s premium) of Carlisle, one that included further items of local interest from the library of the late Maurice Cole, was led by one of the newer books on offer.

The Map of Florida shown here was issued in 1829 to encourage settlement following its still recent acquisition from Spain.

‘The Gregson House’ and its contents date from the early Victorian period.

I was enjoying reading the article on the queen’s brooch, which sold recently (ATG No 2550), when I was surprised to come across the name of Ray Lindwall, the scourge of English cricket in the 1950s.

Referring to the UK’s near-total ban on selling antique ivory objects, would the beautiful Vizagatapam, India, c.1830-50, ivory chess set in the collection of Mr Holger Langer (Collector Interview, ATG No 2550) be classed as museum quality?

Couple move upstairs in their 17th century Cotswolds townhouse to open an antiques shop below