Rare autographed letter to Queen Elizabeth I from possible love interest sells for ÂŁ33k

An extremely rare autographed letter to Queen Elizabeth I from her lifelong friend and possible love interest, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, has been sold for nearly ÂŁ33,000. The manuscript contains an enigmatic reference to an unspecified great matter of state, said to bear directly on the Queen’s life and likely relating to England’s policy…

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The 10 most important Scottish artists you should know about

Ahead of Bonhams Scottish Art auction on 15 May in Edinburgh, Specialist and Head of Sale, May Matthews, introduces ten of the most important Scottish artists from the last 250 years.   Henry Raeburn Perhaps Scotland’s most well-known painter, Henry Raeburn (1756–1823) had a tremendously successful career as a portrait painter in the late 18th…

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Culloden battlefield broadsword to be auctioned by Bonhams

A sword found at the site of Battle of Culloden is to be put up for auction. Fought in 1746 it was the final engagement of the Jacobite Rising in which the forces loyal to the Young Pretender, Bonnie Price Charlie, were defeated by British forces led by the Duke of Cumberland. The 18th century…

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Rare photos of the Beatles in Scotland sell for nearly ÂŁ10k

A collection of never-before-seen photos of the Beatles performing in Scotland sold for nearly ÂŁ10,000 at auction. The 50 black and white pictures were taken during a show in Dundee on 20 October 1964. In one of the pictures drummer Ringo plays the piano with a cigarette in his mouth while Paul has a go…

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Fancy owning a 40 million year old crocodile?

THE fossil of a 40 million-year-old crocodile is coming up for auction next week in Glasgow. The ancient croc is one of nearly 200 fossils going under the hammer at McTear’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” auction on 10 August. The collection as assembled by a retired geologist based in the Highlands. It includes a fossilised crocodilian…

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