Hansons

Amassed by the headmaster of one of Britain’s finest public schools, the Silk collection of Staffordshire portrait figures provides a fillip to an overlooked market

Derbyshire auction house Hansons (25% buyer’s premium) sold memorabilia this summer worn by two Manchester United favourites of different eras: George Best and David Beckham.

A humble table tennis bat bought at a car boot sale in Surrey for £3.50 served up a surprise at Hansons’ (25% buyer’s premium) London monthly auction on September 25.

A pair of early 19th century Staffordshire pearlware figures modelled after bare-knuckle boxers Tom Cribb and Tom Molineaux who fought for a ‘world title’ of sorts is estimated at £3000-5000 in Tennants’ Autumn Fine Sale on November 13 in Leyburn.

Post-war and Contemporary art is increasingly boosting revenue at regional salerooms

Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) designed a number of daring light fittings for his architectural projects – all of them rare and desirable objects.

It was second time lucky for a 17th century ring made to commemorate the death of King Charles I.

New York sale maintains run of high JK Rowling prices while Dr Seuss surfaces also in UK

Such is the recent appeal of dolls’ house accessories that you do not even need the ‘house’ to put them in, it seems.

A single coffee can from the Baltic Service was among the highlights of Hansons’ (25% buyer’s premium) sale on June 9, selling to a collector at £2000.

A group of naive oils found boxed up during a house move drew strong interest at Hanson Holloway’s Ross (25% buyer’s premium), making a combined £36,000.

The Library Auction at Hansons (Bishton Hall, Staffordshire) on June 15 includes this autograph letter by Roald Dahl.

From 1932-34 Clarice Cliff was the art director for a project involving nearly 30 artists of the day to promote good design on tableware.

A hoard of Romano-British bronzes discovered by metal detectorists in North Yorkshire last year will be offered at auction.

They sang about a Champagne Supernova but ‘24 large cans of quality lager’ were more to their taste when Oasis stipulated their needs for band and crew at an early gig.