Collectables

A ‘real tennis’ racquet dating from the reign of King Louis XV of France, used by the first of the great players whose achievements are on record, is being served up at auction.

After moving to a farm at Cropton, North Yorkshire, over the next 25 years Ian David Smith assembled an extensive private collection of horse-drawn vehicles and associated items.

This bespoke 19th century fairground steam-powered confectioner’s vendor cart, to make ice cream and popcorn, tempted bidders at John Rolfe (20% buyer’s premium) in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

A letter by Carl Linnaeus (1707-78), father of modern botany and taxonomy, has set an auction record in his native Sweden.

Bertoia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) did not hold back when discussing a Bing gauge 4 live steam toy locomotive with tender.

Dedicated anniversary sale devoted to Robert Thompson centres on three private collections

One of the most poignant images in suffrage historian and dealer Elizabeth Crawford’s latest book, 'The British Women’s Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects', is a lily carried by Agnes Kelly at the funeral in 1913 of Emily Wilding Davison – who famously was killed as she stepped in front of the king’s horse on Derby Day that year.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

Not a first edition of the horror classic but the version printed five years later is also sought after

The He-Man film out now has struggled at the box office but the character in a smaller form amazed saleroom bidders.

Thomas Annan’s famous book is now rated as ‘one of the finest photographic works of the 19th century’

The treasures presented on Day One of the auction of the estate of Dr Goodman Basil Espy III (1935-2024) at Ahlers & Ogletree (24% buyer’s premium) in Atlanta included a trove of 37 vintage radios.

Two of the most desirable of all W Britains toy soldier sets were offered in Morphy’s (23% buyer’s premium) Toys & General Collectibles auction on June 2-3.

Ever heard of scripophily? It is fair to say that Tim Welo is a bit of an enthusiast.

While Jane Austen thought Bath to be wearying after six weeks, a two-day fair will keep visitors enthralled

The 18th annual sale presented by Perfume Bottles Auction (20/25% buyer’s premium) took place on May 2. The online auction, conducted in New York by Ken Leach, served as the finale of the 2026 convention of the International Perfume Bottle Association (IFBA).

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales