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Discover remarkable auction finds, extraordinary results, expert insights and stories from Hansons salerooms across the UK.

Rare Bowie knife slices through its guide price Featured Story
Articles | 25 September 2025

Rare Bowie knife slices through its guide price

A rare Sheffield-made Bowie knife with a crocodile handle sliced past its £200–£250 estimate to fetch £2,500 at Hansons. Crafted by John Hinchliffe, the folding blade features the words “For self-preservation” and a lion pommel, making it a rare and highly collectable piece.

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Bids fly in from around the world for a Kent pilot’s royal gifts

A pair of gold cufflinks presented by Queen Elizabeth II to the pilot who flew the body of the Duke of Windsor back to the UK sold for £1,700 - more than four times its low guide price of £400 at Hansons Auctioneers’ Kent saleroom in Penshurst today . The cufflinks were part of a treasure trove of presents given to Squadron Leader Denis Lowery (1925-2012) from royal heads of state from around the world, including the late Queen.

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Royal platter serves up a tasty treat for collectors

A silver-plated meat cloche that once served Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington at a grand 1845 banquet is heading to auction at Hansons on September 18, guided at £600–£800. Once the centrepiece of a family Christmas table, it now offers collectors a rare slice of royal dining history.

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Nanny state: more than 50 vintage prams including royal favourites go under the hammer

A 50-year collection of vintage prams, including the royal favourite Silver Cross, will be auctioned at Hansons on September 28. Highlights include an ornate 1878 model, a 1930s French Art Deco design, and a Millson Prince like those used by King Charles III and Princess Charlotte. Valued at £10,000, the sale features museum-quality craftsmanship from Britain’s finest makers.

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Just like that – Tommy Cooper’s fez set to net £1,500

A fez worn by comedy legend Tommy Cooper in the 1950s could sell for up to £1,500 at Hansons Auctioneers on the 17th September. Gifted to jazz musician Stanley Cooper, the iconic red hat became a trademark of Cooper’s act and remains a cherished piece of comedy history.

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Royal pilot’s treasure trove of gifts set to fly in Kent

Royal gifts belonging to RAF pilot Squadron Leader Denis Lowery, who repatriated the Duke of Windsor in 1972, go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers, Penshurst, on September 16. Highlights include gold cufflinks from Queen Elizabeth II. The collection, valued near £10,000, reflects a career flying the royal family and international dignitaries.

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Thumbnail-sized Norfolk Qur’an set to make it big at auction

A thumbnail-sized Qur’an, once kept in a dolls’ house, is set to make £2,000–£3,000 at Hansons’ Norfolk saleroom on the 27th September. Dating from the 18th–19th century, the tiny 300-page text was once used by Ottoman soldiers as a protective talisman.

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Top secret WWII plans to go on show at a Jersey museum

Rare D-Day landing maps and original Operation Nestegg plans, sold by Hansons Auctioneers, are set to go on display at Jersey War Tunnels. The documents, once owned by a Royal Navy officer, mark a major addition to the museum’s WWII collection.

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Top secret D-Day maps found in a cardboard box could spark a bidding war

Maps used by Allied troops in the Normandy landings are set for auction at Hansons on the 13th August. Once owned by Royal Naval sub-lieutenant Walter Page, they detail terrain, German defences and minefields across Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches. Discovered in a £10 box of ephemera, they could fetch up to £15,000.

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Top secret WWII plans to liberate the Channel Islands discovered in a cardboard box

A long-lost document detailing Britain’s 1945 mission to free the Nazi-occupied Channel Islands has surfaced 80 years after liberation. Discovered in a cardboard box, the 50-page “Operation Nestegg” plan reveals meticulous instructions for the high-risk landings on Jersey and Guernsey. It goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers’ Militaria Sale on August 13, guided at £800–£1,200.

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Movie memorabilia collection that survived a bomb blast goes on sale

A remarkable 70-year collection of more than 2,500 pieces of movie memorabilia – which survived the 1996 IRA Manchester bombing – is set to go under the hammer in Newark. Built by lifelong film enthusiast Steve Ellison, the haul includes posters, lobby cards and autographs spanning Hollywood’s golden age to modern blockbusters.

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Unseen sketches of Queen Elizabeth II go on sale

Intimate preparatory works for Jeff Stultiens’ iconic 2003 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II are now up for auction at Hansons Hertfordshire saleroom. The 207-lot sale includes oils and sketches created during sittings with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace, alongside portraits of other notable figures.

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Bidders go nuts for Huntley & Palmer advertising sign

A vintage Huntley & Palmers enamel sign advertising ginger nuts sold for a surprising £831 at Hansons Norfolk on July 26 — far exceeding its £30–£60 estimate. Featuring 1930s Quaker mascot John Ginger, the sign drew strong interest from collectors of nostalgic biscuit memorabilia.

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Rare WWI Dartmoor prison album to go under the hammer

A powerful WWI album made by conscientious objectors at Dartmoor Prison goes under the hammer at Hansons, Derbyshire, on the 13th August. Featuring artwork by illustrator George Peace Micklewright, the 58-page book offers a rare glimpse into the lives of those who refused to fight. Estimate: £400–£600.

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Snap happy: a rare Fabergé photo frame set to make thousands

A lozenge-shaped nephrite and silver photo frame by Fabergé, bearing the maker’s iconic “KF” mark, is set to go under the hammer at Hansons London on July 31 with a £5,000–£7,000 estimate. Once owned by a collector’s grandfather, the frame epitomises Edwardian elegance and the opulence that made Fabergé a favourite of royalty and high society.

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Timeless French luxury comes to Derby

Hansons’ Luxury Auction on the 30th July features standout pieces from Cartier, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, including a Cartier Love bracelet, classic watches, and iconic handbags — offering nearly 100 lots of designer fashion and fine jewellery.

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