Latest News Articles by Roland Arkell
Blue John shines in the Midlands
14 October 2015After viewing events in London, Derbyshire and at the Antiques for Everyone fair in Birmingham, Fellows held their much-anticipated Blue John Sale in the Jewellery Quarter last week.
Italian trade lobby to change export laws
12 October 2015Stakeholders in the Italian art market will meet lawmakers this week in the hope of overturning legislation they say has hampered the country’s art market for a century.
De Pury volte face as Lambert collection sale to be held with new partner Christie’s
09 October 2015Simon de Pury’s sale of the Lambert collection, trailed as a litmus test for high-end digital auctions, will now be conducted as a bricks and mortar event from the rostrum at King Street.
Architects of Dreweatts group to leave
05 October 2015Stephan Ludwig and Ian Goldbart, creators of the group of businesses that includes Dreweatts, Baldwin’s and Mallett, are understood to have left parent company Stanley Gibbons.
Ascot Cup shines at Felix Dennis collection sale
05 October 2015The 1864 Ascot Cup, an impressive Victorian silver racing trophy by Garrard, led proceedings at the three-day sale of the Felix Dennis (1947-2014) collection. It sold at £67,000.
Grand Tour model brings corking result
02 October 2015A Grand Tour cork model of the Temple of Zeus at Paestum has sold for £44,000 at Hampstead Auctions in north London.
Pelham collection pulls all the right strings in Derby
30 September 2015Bimbo The Giant Clown was the beaming white face of Pelham Puppets for decades.
Exeter salerooms to offer John Constable oil sketch of Suffolk
10 September 2015Exeter saleroom Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood will offer a well-provenanced oil by John Constable (1776-1837) in their October 6 fine art sale.
Mary Burkett collection shines at Mitchell’s auction in Cumbria
09 September 2015Items from the estate of Mary Burkett, former director of Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal, attracted great excitement and plenty of competition at Mitchells of Cockermouth last week.
Tibetan bronze figure takes £32,000 at Bellmans’ auction
21 August 2015West Sussex auctioneers Bellmans enjoyed considerable success on August 5, with a single-owner collection of around 30 Indian and Tibetan bronzes collected by a private vendor in the 1960s.
Auctioneers unite for mammoth Felix Dennis dispersal
14 August 2015Two regional auctioneers – Halls of Shrewsbury and Bigwoods of Stratford-upon-Avon – are joining forces to conduct an ‘on-the-premises’ sale of art and antiques owned by the colourful publisher Felix Dennis (1947-2014).
Lombardy escritoire sells for £19,500 at Chorley’s auction in Gloucestershire
13 August 2015The highlight of Chorley’s latest two-day sale at Prinknash Abbey was this unusual late 18th century Lombardy escritoire.
Showground fairs must charge VAT
12 August 2015Showground fair organisers have reacted with disappointment to the news that exhibitors must pay 20% VAT on pitch rentals.
Palitoy Star Wars Death Star toys show the force is strong at auction
12 August 2015For many of the 40- and 50-somethings who trawl the internet for Star Wars toys, the ‘holy grail’ object is the Palitoy Death Star play set.
VAT on showground fair pitches
12 August 2015COMMENT: So we finally have a ruling from the VAT tribunal but it is not good news.
London numismatists urge clients to oppose German Cultural Property law changes
04 August 2015Coin specialists AH Baldwin & Sons are encouraging their customers to sign the petition opposing an amendment to the controversial German Cultural Property and Heritage Protection Law.
Vincennes sugar bowl sells for £45,000
31 July 2015Yellow-ground wares from the Vincennes soft-paste porcelain workshops are great rarities.
Ambitious Dutch online auction firm aims to be a high-end eBay
30 July 2015Dutch online auction business Catawiki has raised $82m to build its business.
Provincial silver packs a £17,000 punch
22 July 2015This rare Irish provincial silver punch strainer took £14,000 at Lawrences’ latest sale in Crewkerne. Dated to c.1740-60, it is struck twice for Joseph Johns, one of only a handful of silversmiths working in Limerick in the middle of the 18th century.
Bidding comes to rest at £23,000
16 July 2015This superbly patinated Shona hardwood headrest sold for £23,000 at only the second auction at new Stowmarket saleroom Bishop & Miller.