Auctioneers

The auction process is a key part of the secondary art and antiques market.

Firms of auctioneers usually specialise in a number of fields such as jewellery, ceramics, paintings, Asian art or coins but many also hold general sales where the goods available are not defined by a particular genre and are usually lower in value.

Auctioneers often provide other services such as probate and insurance valuations.

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Pick of the Week: Rare 1920s Robert Thompson dining suite with early features shines at Doncaster sale

03 December 2018

Capping a vintage year for prime-period Mouseman furniture, a dining suite attracted huge interest when offered for sale in Yorkshire recently.

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A giant toast to the Londongrad sales

03 December 2018

A monumental silver-gilt and cloisonné enamel kovsh by Feodor Rückert was among the highlights of the latest series of Russian art auctions in London

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Bruun Rasmussen pulls Chinese flask from auction over uncertain dating

03 December 2018

Danish auctioneer Bruun Rasmussen has withdrawn a Chinese flask from sale for the second time following disagreements over its age.

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Super silver-gilt Storr candelabra leads Bonhams’ Important Design auction

03 December 2018

A pair of William IV candelabra from the Pembroke service led Bonhams’ Important Design: 500 Years of Fine Decorative Arts sale on November 21, selling at £190,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium).

Rare cotton chair cover

Five lots to watch at auction this week including work by the first female Cubist and Queen Victoria’s chair cover

03 December 2018

From Queen Victoria’s chair cover and a military cross to a work by Marevna, dubbed ‘the first female Cubist’, here are five previews from upcoming sales this week.

Nevinson

News In Brief – including the sale of a Nevinson study

03 December 2018

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days including the sale of a CRW Nevinson study.

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Previews: £30,000 plus

03 December 2018

Believed to be unique, this grimacing stoneware dog jar and lid from the Martin Brothers pottery is up for auction at Salisbury saleroom Woolley & Wallis on December 12.

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Sotheby's hoping to be big in Japan again with London sale

03 December 2018

For the first time in a decade, Sotheby’s Asian Art in London offering included a designated sale of Japanese art on November 6.

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Meiji cloisonné provides boost to English salerooms

03 December 2018

An unusual dish from the workshop of Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927) sold for £18,000 at Woolley & Wallis on November 14. But this was not the only example of top-tier Meiji cloisonné for sale last month.

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Bowie and his Mod Brit stardust boosts auction prices

03 December 2018

Has Bowie made a difference? This question has been doing the rounds in Modern British circles since 2016 when Sotheby’s offered the highly publicised collection of David Bowie.

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Armistice commemorations in focus at Mod Brit auction series

03 December 2018

Few events shaped British art more in the 20th century than war. As commemorations reached a pinnacle during the centenary month of the First World War, the November Mod Brit series presented an opportune moment to sell art directly related to the conflict.

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UK sales of Asian art – a coming together of cultures

03 December 2018

Despite the disparity in numbers, the market for Chinese and Japanese works of art are increasingly aligned.

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De Waal Netsuke collection brings welcome addition to Blythe Road auction

03 December 2018

A welcome addition to the November 21 Asian Works of Art sale at Matthew Barton (24% buyer’s premium) of 25 Blythe Road in west London were 79 netsuke from the collection belonging to Edmund de Waal, author of the bestselling memoir 'The Hare with Amber Eyes'. London Japanese art dealer Max Rutherston helped organise the sale and took this section of the auction.

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Yuan peony jar leads Dublin sale of Asian art

03 December 2018

The influx of Asian art buyers that accompanies the Asian Art in London initiative also encourages activity across the Irish Sea. Both Adam’s (20% buyer’s premium) in Dublin, for the first time, and Sheppards (20% buyer’s premium) in Durrow held designated sales on November 3 and November 11 respectively.

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Ming period brick from the Great Wall of China sells at Somerset auction

03 December 2018

Included in the sale at Lawrences (22% buyer’s premium) of Crewkerne on October 11 was a brick from the Great Wall of China. It probably dated from the Ming period when Great Wall sections were widely built with fired clay bricks, adhered with lime mortar and sticky rice.

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Naval chairs capable of being folded away for battle stations are exceptional survivors

03 December 2018

In a specialist maritime and scientific instruments auction there were only three furniture lots at Charles Miller (24% buyer’s premium), but one of them led the day.

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Rockefeller pattern Chinese export porcelain ware brings demand at Dreweatts

03 December 2018

Among the most coveted of all the standard Chinese export porcelain designs is the so-called ‘Rockefeller’ pattern or Palace ware.

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Home turf before theatre of dreams

03 December 2018

A rare photographic postcard sold via thesaleroom.com at a surprise £850 (estimate £30-50) at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) in Washington, West Sussex on October 30.

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London and the world in focus at auction including an 18th century map of the capital

03 December 2018

Large-scale 18th century map of the capital joins a wider global outlook at auction...

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International previews: Potential stars of Paris' Asian art series including a Vietnamese silk robe at Aguttes

03 December 2018

December is one of two key periods in the French calendar when the auction houses concentrate their sales of Asian art. Pictured here is a selection of highlights and unusual pieces coming up for sale this month in the Paris rooms.

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