One collector spent decades filling shelves with more than a thousand egg cups. This weekend that single-minded hoard comes to market in Cornwall — one of four online sales running across 30–31 May 2026, alongside hand-coloured bird plates in the Yorkshire Dales, a general antiques sale in Devon, and a jewellery-and-militaria catalogue in Hertfordshire. Spring is downsizing season, when long-held collections finally surface, and these four catalogues show it. Here is what to chase and how to bid.
What’s in the Lanora House Auctions estate sale?
This is a proper enthusiast’s estate. The headline tells you someone gathered with real devotion: over 1,000 egg cups, built up over decades. Egg cups are an underrated field — cheap to start, endlessly varied, easy to display — so a thousand-strong run offered in one go is a genuine moment for anyone building a kitchenalia or ceramics shelf.
It does not stop there. The sale folds in Xena: Warrior Princess and Star Wars collectibles for cult-TV and sci-fi memorabilia buyers, plus silver plate, bronzes and porcelain figurines for the decorative-arts crowd. That spread suits a first-time bidder: plenty of accessible lots and a chance to learn the ropes without a fine-art price tag.
Highlights to watch
- Over 1,000 egg cups from a single private collection
- Xena: Warrior Princess and Star Wars collectibles
- Silver plate, bronzes and porcelain figurines
It is an online-only sale on Saturday 30 May 2026 from 10:00 am (BST), run by Lanora House Auctions Limited at The Old Foundry Chapel, Chapel Terrace, Hayle, Cornwall (TR27 4AB). Browse the full estate auction of egg cups and collectibles, or see more from this Cornwall auctioneer on the Lanora House Auctions page.
What’s in the Britannica Auctions natural history print sale?
If your taste runs to the wall rather than the mantelpiece, this is the catalogue of the weekend. Britannica Auctions is offering antique prints and engravings of natural-history subjects from the 18th to 20th centuries, and the roll-call is serious. Ornithology leads, with hand-coloured plates by John Gould, Edward Lear, William Swainson, PJ Selby, Édouard Travies and Keulemans among many others — the names behind the great bird books, chased by interior designers and natural-history specialists alike.
There is depth beyond the birds. Look for work after John James Audubon, Archibald Thorburn and George Edwards, plus a strong botanical section including engravings by Pierre-Joseph Redouté and the celebrated Trew & Ehret partnership. Framed well, Redouté’s flowers and Audubon’s birds hold their own in any room, and the older hand-coloured engravings reward close study of plate marks and colouring.
Highlights to watch
- Ornithological plates by John Gould, Edward Lear, Édouard Travies and Keulemans
- Prints after Audubon, Archibald Thorburn and George Edwards
- Botanical engravings by Pierre-Joseph Redouté and Trew & Ehret
It is online-only on Saturday 30 May 2026 from 4:00 pm (BST), run by Britannica Auctions at Yore Mill, Aysgarth, Leyburn, North Yorkshire (DL8 3SR). View the natural history antique prints and engravings sale, or follow these Yorkshire Dales auctioneers on the Britannica Auctions page.
What’s in the Marsh Barton auctions Antiques and Collectables sale?
Sunday opens with a good old-fashioned general antiques and collectables sale from Marsh Barton auctions in Exeter — the sort of mixed catalogue where the trade and the bargain-hunter both do well. General sales are where the unglamorous-but-useful turns up: furniture, ceramics, glass, smalls and the odd sleeper the bigger rooms overlook. For Devon dealers and South West first-timers, it is a low-pressure way in.
Because it is a broad collectables sale, read the catalogue lot by lot and set your limits before bidding opens — that is where the value hides. Spring brings a run of house clearances and downsizing, so expect fresh-to-market pieces rather than the same stock doing the rounds.
It is online-only on Sunday 31 May 2026 from 12:00 pm (BST), held by Marsh Barton auctions at Unit 10, Bakers Yard, Marsh Barton Trading Estate, Exeter (EX2 8RG). See the Marshbarton Antiques and Collectables sale, or browse more from these Exeter auctioneers on the Marsh Barton auctions page.
What’s in the Cadmore Auctions Sunday Afternoon sale?
The weekend closes with the broadest catalogue of the four. Cadmore Auctions’ Sunday Afternoon sale gathers jewellery, watches, designer items, militaria, coins and Asian antiques under one roof — a cross-disciplinary sale that pulls in numismatists, watch buyers, militaria collectors and Asian-art specialists in equal measure. Jewellery and gold hold value, vintage watches remain a strong resale market, and coins and medals reward the patient researcher.
One important quirk: this is an automatic sale with no live broadcast, and every lot opens from its starting bid — so an attentive bidder can sometimes secure a lot at or near the opener. Everything is sold ‘as described’ in the catalogue and ‘as shown’ in the photographs, so study the images and ask questions in advance. Viewing is strictly by appointment, and winning bidders must arrange collection ahead of time.
Highlights to watch
- Jewellery, watches and designer items
- Militaria and coins
- Asian antiques and collectables
- Automatic sale — all lots open from the starting bid
It is online-only on Sunday 31 May 2026 from 12:00 pm (BST), run by Cadmore Auctions at 3 Station Close, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire (EN6 1TL). Explore the Sunday Afternoon jewellery, watches and militaria sale, or follow these Potters Bar auctioneers on the Cadmore Auctions page.
How do you bid on these UK auctions?
All four are online-only, so you register and bid remotely through each house’s live catalogue. Register early, set a firm limit on every lot, and factor the buyer’s premium (plus VAT on the premium) into your top bid. Follow Lanora House, Britannica, Marsh Barton and Cadmore here on Auction Eagle, and check the upcoming UK auctions listings to plan your next weekend’s bidding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which UK auctions are on this weekend?
Four online-only sales run 30–31 May 2026: Lanora House Auctions (Hayle) and Britannica Auctions (Aysgarth) on Saturday, then Marsh Barton auctions (Exeter) and Cadmore Auctions (Potters Bar) on Sunday.
When and where is the Lanora House Auctions egg cup sale?
Online-only on Saturday 30 May 2026 from 10:00 am (BST), run by Lanora House Auctions Limited at The Old Foundry Chapel, Chapel Terrace, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4AB. It features over 1,000 egg cups plus Xena and Star Wars collectibles.
What artists feature in the Britannica Auctions natural history print sale?
The Aysgarth, North Yorkshire sale (online, Saturday 30 May 2026, 4:00 pm BST) offers ornithological and botanical prints by John Gould, Edward Lear, Audubon, Archibald Thorburn, Redouté and Trew & Ehret, among many others.
How does bidding work at the Cadmore Auctions Sunday Afternoon sale?
It is an automatic online sale with no live broadcast, held Sunday 31 May 2026 from 12:00 pm (BST) in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. Every lot opens from its starting bid and sells 'as described'; viewing and collection are strictly by appointment.
Is there a buyer's premium at these auctions?
Yes — UK auction houses typically add a buyer's premium to the hammer price, plus VAT on that premium. Check each house's terms on its catalogue page before bidding so you know your true total cost.
Are all four auctions online?
Yes. Lanora House, Britannica, Marsh Barton and Cadmore are all online-only, so you can register and bid remotely. Each has a live catalogue link on its Auction Eagle listing.
