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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Pins were a personal gift from Queen Victoria

01 May 2023

Cotswold saleroom Kinghams (23% buyer’s premium) offered a series of four stick pins gifted by Queen Victoria.

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Tureens on offer from a huge service

01 May 2023

The May 18 sale of Jewellery, Watches & Silver at Dawsons includes a pair of silver sauce tureens by William Bateman for Rundell, Bridge & Co, London 1837.

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London as seen before the big blaze

01 May 2023

View of the city ahead of the Great Fire was attributed to a Dutch artist who produced several panoramas

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Famous tiger burns bright – despite being a copy

01 May 2023

A later but good copy of George Stubbs’ (1724-1806) famous painting Portrait of The Royal Tiger earned its stripes when it emerged at auction.

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Japanese desk and box could be the write stuff to buy

01 May 2023

Bonhams is conducting a sale on May 18 titled Samurai Beauties and Townsmen: Japanese Art in Peace and War.

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A £65,000 price reflects considerable appeal of stumpwork mirror frame

01 May 2023

A small collection of 17th century stumpwork offered at Lindsay Burns in Perth was topped by this japanned and needlework mirror frame.

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Styles sculpture tribute to mark Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh silver wedding anniversary

01 May 2023

Alex Styles (1922-2017) was in 1966 given a glowing accolade in The Times: “Many think he is the finest designer of hand-made silver in England.”

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Letters reveal heartbreak of Princess Di

01 May 2023

A collection of 32 letters and cards written by Diana, Princess of Wales to two friends came for sale at Lay’s (18% buyer’s premium).

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Queen Mother caught in sculpture form for the final time

01 May 2023

Dreweatts of Newbury will offer a selection of royal-related works in its Interiors sale on May 16.

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Xuande ‘pomegranate’ box and cover displays imperial appeal

01 May 2023

Dreweatts’ sale on May 17-18 includes a very rare Xuande (1426-35) mark and period cloisonné ‘pomegranate’ box and cover.

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Ming ritual water vessel offered at Chiswick Auctions

01 May 2023

The sale of Asian Art at Chiswick Auctions on May 19 is led by this rare example of Ming dynasty cloisonné.

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Pressing engagement in Essex

01 May 2023

The oshi-e technique, meaning ‘pressed picture’, involves folding and pressing scraps of fabric, such as kimono cloth, and washi paper to create an image.

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Items from royal milliner Kate Day appear in the saleroom

01 May 2023

Kate Day, known as the ‘Queen’s Milliner’, made hats for Queen Elizabeth II even before her coronation and continued afterwards.

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Royal role of pioneering photographer Wilding

01 May 2023

Pictured here is a signed photo-portrait of the 20-year-old future Queen Elizabeth II and her then 15-year-old younger sister, Princess Margaret.

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Wilding portraits on offer in west London

01 May 2023

Two signed royal portrait photographs by Dorothy Wilding (1893-1976) will be offered at Chiswick Auctions.

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Lotus and chrysanthemum set to blossom

01 May 2023

Roseberys’ Chinese, Japanese & South East Asian Art sale on May 16-17 runs to over 1000 lots and includes two private collections.

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Museum secures Ingres portrait from dealer’s sale

29 April 2023

The two-day sale of works from the French dealership Talabardon & Gautier was held at Drouot by Ader (28% buyer’s premium)

Freddie Mercury

Superstar Freddie Mercury's private collection to be sold at Sotheby’s this autumn

26 April 2023

From stage costumes, handwritten lyrics and guitars to Victorian paintings, a Faberge clock and Japanese art, the private collection of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury (1946-91) is to be offered in a series of auctions.

Arundel Castle copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio

Dealers and auction house celebrate 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s First Folio

25 April 2023

An exhibition at Christie’s, a talk at Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair and a collection offered at book dealer Peter Harrington are all part of the celebration of the Bard.

Intaglio ring

Pick of the week: Ring that took £90,000 could be one of lost Marlborough gems

24 April 2023

A garnet intaglio ring was bid to 450-times estimate at an auction in Birmingham after speculation that it could be one of the ‘lost’ Marlborough gems.

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