Latest News Articles by Cecile Shannon
Market for distinctive Neapolitan Nativity figures is full of life
15 July 2024Bumper collection of the 18th century creations sold at auction 42 years ago re-emerges in south London
Heart and sold: Henry VIII spoon impresses at Canterbury auction
15 July 2024A Henry VIII silver and parcel gilt apostle spoon, stamped to the stem with a distinctive maker’s mark of a heart in a conforming heart and dated London 1532, caused quite a stir when it appeared at Canterbury Auction Galleries (25% buyer’s premium).
Storr salts bear similarities to the Pembroke Service
15 July 2024A striking pair of William IV silver open salts by Paul Storr (London 1835) came for sale at Chorley’s (28.2% buyer’s premium inc VAT) latest biannual sale of Fine Jewellery, Silver, Gold and Watches.
Silver: Promising signs for market as metal prices rebound
15 July 2024The market has certainly been challenging but recent results allied with metal prices give encouraging grounds for optimism
Church sells gift from its opening
15 July 2024As previewed in ATG No 2648, Bonhams’ Fine Decorative Arts sale at New Bond Street on July 5 featured this rare Elizabethan silver-gilt tankard, London 1592, with maker’s mark 'IB' possibly for John Brodie (Brode), or John Bottomley.
This won’t escape your attention
15 July 2024Intriguingly catalogued under the category Magic, Conjuring & Escapology in the Bamfords of Derby Collector’s Grand Tour sale on July 4, was a somewhat battered looking Edwardian silver padlock-shaped pocket watch stand.
Raise a toast to transatlantic and Toon tankards on offer
15 July 2024Dreweatts’ (26/25% buyer’s premium) Fine Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Objects of Vertu sale of June 18 offered only 35 lots of silver but all were good quality and many rare in form.
Rare Liberty & Co terracotta sundial by Archibald Knox emerges in South London
13 July 2024One of the most watched lots currently on the-saleroom.com is a rare Liberty & Co terracotta Floralis pattern sundial designed by the legendary Archibald Knox in c.1905.
Aubrey Dawson launches new auction business
11 July 2024Auctioneer and valuer Aubrey Dawson and jewellery expert Rachel Hutchinson, both previously of Dawsons in Maidenhead, have formed a new auction house called Aubreys.
A patinated bronze figure of Christ at the Column excels at auction
09 July 2024The highlight of Bonhams Fine Decorative Arts auction at New Bond Street on July 5 was a patinated bronze figure of Christ at the column.
Harry Houdini's silver padlock-shaped pocket watch stand escapes at auction for 17 times over estimate
09 July 2024Intriguingly catalogued under the category Magic, Conjuring & Escapology in Bamfords of Derby Collector’s Grand Tour sale on July 4, was a somewhat battered looking Edwardian silver padlock-shaped pocket watch stand.
It’s a good bit of monkey business in south London
08 July 2024Dating back to ancient Egypt and peaking in popularity in western Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, the ‘singerie’ (French for ‘monkey trick’) is a genre of satirical art depicting fashionably attired monkeys, humorously imitating human behaviour.
007 at £1 later sells at auction for £10,000
08 July 2024A 1953 first edition, first impression copy of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel Casino Royale in its original dust jacket, bought at a car boot sale for £1, sold for £10,000 hammer at Adam Partridge (25% buyer’s premium) in Devon.
Pick of the Week: Teapot brews up Chelsea demand
08 July 2024This rare Chelsea porcelain leaf-moulded teapot and cover came between a goat-and-bee jug and a crayfish salt.
Pottery parrot in Whieldon style attracts flocks of bidders
08 July 2024At Gildings (20% buyer’s premium) of Market Harborough, one little, or rather big bird took flight.
Medals from an Anzac war hero take 30 times top estimate at auction
04 July 2024How the personal story of an Anzac war hero boosted the value of a common group of medals offered at auction to 30 times the top estimate.
Regency Chamberlain Worcester cabinet cups cause a stir at auction
02 July 2024A surprise at a Hampshire saleroom on June 18 came in the form of a fine pair of early 19th century Chamberlain Worcester ‘Regent China’ cabinet cups in the French Empire style.
Rare 18th century Neapolitan crèche figures take off at auction and fly back to Napoli
01 July 2024Arriving in boxes, a quantity of Italian Nativity figures were delivered to Anna Evans, head of sale and specialist at south London saleroom Roseberys, with Christie’s lot labels dated 1982 still attached.
A family provenance to chew on: collection bought with proceeds of a biscuit empire
01 July 2024Two days needed to disperse items collected over generations thanks to biscuit production success
UK sale offers Peale’s presidential depiction
01 July 2024A newly discovered American portrait miniature of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale has been found in the UK. Estimated at £15,000-25,000, it is on offer at Roseberys in the Old Master, British & European Pictures sale on July 9.