Collector Journal Archive

Earlier lot spotlights and deep dives, grouped by month.

Jump to: April 2026 March 2026 February 2026

April 2026

Possible Oriel Ari desk lamp with a second modern desk lamp on a marble base

1 Apr 2026 · Lighting

Possible Oriel Ari Desk Lamp Group (Lot 383)

Mixed lighting lots are where tidy estimates and messy judgement meet. Canalbank Auction’s pair is interesting because one lamp may be a worthwhile mid-century-style desk light and the other may simply be a usable bonus, but the value only holds if you stay cold-blooded about attribution, electrics, and how much of the appeal is really coming from one photograph.

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March 2026

Herbert Terry Model 1227 pre-war Anglepoise desk lamp in gold finish

31 Mar 2026 · Lighting

Herbert Terry Model 1227 Anglepoise Lamp (Lot 42)

This is the sort of lamp that should feel balanced before it feels beautiful. Auctioneum’s pre-war Model 1227 is worth watching because the catalogue gives bidders enough honest photography to judge the stepped arms, spring hardware, base stance, and painted surface before nostalgia starts flattering the object.

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William Moorcroft Red Tulip pottery vase designed by Sally Tuffin

30 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

William Moorcroft ‘Red Tulip’ Vase by Sally Tuffin (Lot 1)

This is the sort of later Moorcroft piece that lives or dies on freshness. Wessex Auction Rooms gives enough photography to judge the inverted-bell shape, the tube-lined tulips, and whether the glaze still carries the depth that makes Sally Tuffin-era wares feel decorative rather than merely recognisable.

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Robert Mouseman Thompson early oak trophy frames made for the Leeds Cine Club Austin and Collins Trophy winners

27 Mar 2026 · Furniture

Robert Mouseman Thompson Odeon-Style Trophy Frames (Lot 2413)

Ryedale’s photographs make this pair more interesting than the usual Mouseman offering. You can read the carved mice, the early Odeon-style framing, and the marks left by decades of winner plaques well enough to judge whether these Leeds Cine Club trophies still feel like persuasive bits of Yorkshire oak history rather than just eccentric club-room leftovers.

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Chromed ball table lamp with white acrylic diffuser

25 Mar 2026 · Lighting

Chrome Ball Table Lamp with Acrylic Diffuser (Lot 362)

Burstow & Hewett gives this little lamp exactly the sort of coverage it needs. The mirrored chrome sphere, white acrylic diffuser, and ordinary day-to-day wear are all visible enough to decide whether you are buying a crisp bit of Space Age-style lighting or just a good silhouette with tired surfaces and optimistic electrics.

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Clarice Cliff Bizarre Coral Firs triangular vase, shape 200

24 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

Clarice Cliff Coral Firs Triangular Vase (Lot 259)

Gorringe’s gives this vase four useful views, which is exactly what a Clarice Cliff buyer wants. The triangular body, angular shoulder, painted “Coral Firs” pattern, and foot are all shown clearly enough to tell whether the first hit of colour is backed up by crisp edges, healthy surface, and a shape that still feels alive rather than simply well known.

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Mohamed Hamid Star Pottery stoneware centre bowl with brushwork decoration

20 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

Mohamed Hamid Star Pottery Centre Bowl (Lot 363)

Burstow & Hewett photographs this bowl well enough to make the real questions visible. You can read the broad open form, the sweep of the brushwork, and the surface character closely enough to decide whether this is controlled British studio pottery with genuine presence or simply a large decorative bowl asking for too much faith.

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Cream leather Ekornes reclining swivel chair with matching footstool

19 Mar 2026 · Furniture

Ekornes Reclining Swivel Chair with Footstool (Lot 9)

Thompson’s gives a straightforward enough view of this set to judge the cream leather, the recliner profile, the matching stool, and the overall honesty of the wear. With used comfort furniture, that matters more than branding rhetoric: the question is whether the chair still looks supportive and usable, or whether the Ekornes name is doing more work than the structure itself.

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Andrew Crouch studio pottery stoneware vase with fluted sides and celadon glaze

18 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

Andrew Crouch Celadon Studio Pottery Vase (Lot 364)

Today’s Burstow & Hewett lot is worth attention because the listing gives several clean views across the fluted body, celadon surface, profile, and base. That is exactly what you want with studio pottery: enough photography to judge whether the calm silhouette is backed up by healthy glaze, honest firing, and convincing maker attribution rather than just a fashionable green pot and a plausible story.

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Vintage 9ct gold cat brooch set with sapphire, ruby and diamond accents

17 Mar 2026 · Jewellery

Vintage Sapphire, Ruby & Diamond Cat Brooch (Lot 2)

Today’s Alnwick Auctions lot is worth attention because the listing gives several close views of the cat’s face, stone-set body, reverse, and clasp. That is exactly what you want with novelty jewellery: enough imagery to judge whether the wit is backed up by sound making, secure fittings, and a believable level of age rather than just a cute silhouette and a quick pulse of auction adrenaline.

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Armand compass dial with ballooning medallion in fitted case

13 Mar 2026 · Scientific Instruments

Armand Compass Dial with Ballooning Scene (Lot 903)

Today’s Elstob Auctioneers lot is worth attention because the live listing gives six images across the dial, mount, glazed cover, fitted box, and engraved ballooning medallion. That is enough to judge whether the romance of the object is supported by the harder things buyers actually need: enamel condition, metal integrity, hinge honesty, and whether the instrument and case feel like they have lived together for a long time rather than met shortly before cataloguing.

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Pair of Mdina Earth pattern bottle vases in sandy brown tones

12 Mar 2026 · Decorative Arts

Mdina Earth Pattern Bottle Vases (Lot 1159)

Today’s Fieldings Auctioneers lot is worth attention because the listing shows enough angles to judge the pair’s proportions, rim finish, base signatures, and how evenly the sandy brown decoration runs through each body before bidding. That matters with Mdina glass: the appeal sits in the sculptural silhouette and the depth of colour, but collectors still need to look hard for bruised rims, polished-out damage, and pairs that are more similar than truly matched.

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Vintage five-sconce tulip shade chandelier with chain and ceiling rose

11 Mar 2026 · Lighting

Vintage Five-Sconce Tulip Shade Chandelier (Lot 940)

Today’s Matthews Auctioneers lot is worth attention because the listing shows enough angles to judge shades, arms, chain, ceiling rose, and overall balance before bidding. That matters with decorative lighting: one glamour shot can sell the mood, but value still turns on whether the glass matches, the frame sits straight, and the electrified fittings look usable rather than merely present.

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Chinese flambe-glazed double gourd vase with sang de boeuf style glaze

10 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

Chinese Flambe-Glazed Double Gourd Vase (Lot 13)

Today’s Dore & Rees Auctions lot stands out because the image set is deep enough to read the glaze, foot, neck, and profile properly before bidding. That matters with flambe wares: strong colour can be seductive, but value still turns on whether the glaze breaks cleanly at the edges, the foot looks honest, and the silhouette holds up from more than one angle.

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Stag extendable dining table with six chairs including two carvers

9 Mar 2026 · Furniture

Stag Extendable Dining Set (Lot 9)

Today’s Sullivans Auctions lot has stronger-than-average photo coverage for practical furniture buying: top, edges, chair backs, and multiple room angles are all visible. That matters with Stag pieces, where veneer condition, joint stability, and chair-frame straightness can swing real value far more than headline brand recognition.

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Carlton Ware gilt and enamelled powder blue ceramic tableware

6 Mar 2026 · Decorative Arts

Carlton Ware Powder Blue Tableware Group (Lot 25)

Today’s Bentley's Fine Art Auctioneers lot has unusually deep image coverage across gilded edges, handles, feet, and pattern areas. That matters for Carlton Ware, where bright colour and gilt can mask chips, overpaint, and later restoration unless photos are inspected piece by piece.

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CHOPARD Happy Diamonds 18k white gold earrings

5 Mar 2026 · Jewellery

CHOPARD Happy Diamonds 18k White Gold Earrings (Lot 22)

Today’s Lay's Auctioneers lot pairs a recognisable maison line with unusually deep photo coverage. That combination is where good bidding discipline matters most: provenance confidence can carry prices, but only if setting condition and movement-free stones hold up under close inspection.

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Pair of copper and glass cabin lanterns

4 Mar 2026 · Lighting

Pair of Copper and Glass Cabin Lanterns (Lot 1)

Today’s Warren and Wignall Auctioneers lot is a pair of copper and glass cabin lanterns with unusually deep photo coverage. That matters because marine-style lighting often looks better than it performs once wiring, glass fit, and corrosion are properly assessed.

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Shelf lot of Famille Rose and Famille Verte pottery

3 Mar 2026 · Ceramics

Famille Rose & Famille Verte Shelf Lot (Lot 16)

Today’s Warren and Wignall Auctioneers pick is a mixed shelf lot of Famille Rose and Famille Verte ceramics. Mixed Chinese export-style groups can hide standout pieces and weak pieces in the same run, so this is a lot where close photo inspection matters more than headline estimate appetite.

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Château d’Yquem 2003 half-bottle case

2 Mar 2026 · Wine & Spirits

Château d’Yquem 2003 Half-Bottles (Lot 58)

Today’s live J. Straker Chadwick & Sons pick is a 12 half-bottle case of Château d’Yquem 2003 in original wooden case. Sweet-wine buying can look deceptively simple in catalogue photos, but fill levels, capsule condition, and storage clues are where value is won or lost.

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February 2026

Omega Speedmaster Pre-Moon Ed White wristwatch

27 Feb 2026 · Watches

Omega Speedmaster Ed White (Lot 1000)

Today’s live Easy Live Auction pick is a vintage Omega Speedmaster Pre-Moon "Ed White" with eight listing images and a detailed condition report. In vintage watch buying, image clarity plus movement notes often matter as much as brand name.

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Charlotte Rhead Royal Cauldon charger

26 Feb 2026 · Lot Spotlight

Charlotte Rhead Royal Cauldon Charger

A live Art Deco Charlotte Rhead lot with strong image coverage. This is exactly the type where close mark and condition photos decide confidence.

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Charlotte Rhead Crown Ducal vase

26 Feb 2026 · Lot Spotlight

Danish Modern Lounge Chair

Today’s spotlight is a live Easy Live Auction lot with strong visual documentation: a Charlotte Rhead tube-lined vase for Crown Ducal. For ceramics, image quality is a major value driver — crisp close-ups can materially reduce attribution and condition uncertainty.

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Tiffany Eskriss floor lamp

25 Feb 2026 · Lot Spotlight

Tiffany Eskriss Floor Lamp

Practical condition and bidding checks for this lot.

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Royal Oporto 1937 bottle

24 Feb 2026 · Lot Spotlight

Royal Oporto 1937 Colheita

Practical condition and bidding checks for this lot.

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