Collectables

The term ‘collectables’ (or collectibles) encompasses a vast range of items in fields as diverse as arms, armour and militaria, bank notes, cameras, coins, entertainment and sporting memorabilia, stamps, taxidermy, wines and writing equipment.

Some collectables are antiques, others are classed as retro, vintage or curios but all are of value to the collector. In any of these fields, buyers seek out rarities and items with specific associations.

British and Irish book auctions: July 17-28, 2018

16 July 2018

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from July 17-28, 2018.

Shogo pen

Vintage pens from Switzerland to Japan are scripted for San Francisco auction

14 July 2018

US West Coast auction firm PBA Galleries is holding its first sale dedicated to writing instruments in its San Francisco rooms on July 19.

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Soviet spy camera disguised as fag packet sells for £29,000 house record at Dudley auction

12 July 2018

The cost of smoking is going crazy – someone has just paid £29,000 for a packet of cigarettes in the West Midlands.

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Menu signed by all four Beatles from a flight when getting high was the refreshment

12 July 2018

Reporter: “Well John, how was the trip over, did you all get bored on the flight, or did you have things to keep you entertained, that y’all were doing?” John Lennon: ‘Well, err, we all got stoned.”

Stationers Hall

Congress for rare book trade set for London in November

11 July 2018

The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) has released details of the 40th Annual Conference on Book Trade History.

Hundred Acre Wood

Winnie-the-Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood makes auction record at Sotheby’s

11 July 2018

The original drawing of the map of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood by EH Shepard has been sold for a hammer price of £350,000, setting an auction record for a book illustration.

Antiques Roadshow

Calls for Elgar score to be returned after Antiques Roadshow appearance

10 July 2018

The Elgar Foundation is calling for the return of a draft score of the Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar shown on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.

Prince Harry buys first edition Winnie the Pooh christening gift from book dealer

10 July 2018

Prince Harry has bought a first edition Winnie the Pooh from antiquarian book dealer Peter Harrington for his nephew Louis.

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The tale of Peter Rabbit’s publication

09 July 2018

An inscription reading “For Mrs Oliver, from Beatrix Potter – with kind regards & best wishes for Christmas 1901” was a welcome bonus on a copy of the first, privately printed edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

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Darwin distressed – but not dismissed

09 July 2018

Two 1859 firsts of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species…, neither in what could be called good condition, made very strong prices in recent weeks. This is a book nowadays so desirable that such shortcomings can be overlooked.

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Wellington’s favourite charger

09 July 2018

A hairwork bracelet offered at auction was inscribed to a gold mount: From the Mane of the Charger Copenhagen which carried the Duke of Wellington 18 successive hours on the 18th June 1815, The Battle of Waterloo.

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Cynographia, or coloured canine rarities

09 July 2018

Once described as “one of the rarest dog books printed in the English language”, a copy of Cynographia Britannica: Consisting of Coloured Engravings of Various Breeds of Dogs existing in Great Britain sold at $14,000 (£10,525) at Christie’s New York (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on June 14.

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Not quite all his own work?

09 July 2018

An early 17th century work on …the Whole Practise of Artillery made a record sum in sale held by Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) of Leyburn.

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Ticking off the profits and losses

09 July 2018

Sold for $32,000 (£24,060) at Christie’s New York (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) on June 14 was an Edison Universal Stock Ticker.

British and Irish book auctions

09 July 2018

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from July 9-19.

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Pick of the Week: The £135,000 order of the day

09 July 2018

A Lesser George sash badge of The Most Noble Order of the Garter was the stand-out lot in a dedicated auction of honours that once belonged to the last Duke of Cambridge to have held that title before Prince William in the present day.

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Archive of three Suffragette sisters sells at auction

09 July 2018

An archive relating to three Suffragette sisters has been bought at a Hansons auction by a well-known dealer in memorabilia.

Antiquity

Coin dealer arrested in London following international looted antiquities investigation

06 July 2018

A coin and antiquities dealer has been arrested as part of an international investigation into a £35m crime network dealing in looted artefacts.

Hefner cartoons

Letters and cartoons from the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner head to auction in Chicago

05 July 2018

A collection of letters, drawings, cards and photos from American businessman, publisher and Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner, are to be offered at auction later this month in Chicago.

Ada Lovelace

Book by computer pioneer – the Countess of Computing - comes up for auction in Cirencester

04 July 2018

A book by the 19th century computer pioneer and socialite Ada Lovelace is to be offered at auction in the Cotswolds.

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