Over nine days in July, three online sales run out of Folkestone and Sandwich, and between them they cover the collecting that gets people genuinely excited: signed photographs and letters, a roomful of general antiques, and diecast models where the box makes or breaks the price. All three are online-only, so you bid from the kitchen table rather than the car park. Here is what is coming up, and who each sale suits.
What’s in the Chaucer Auctions autograph sale?
First up is Chaucer Auctions in Folkestone, whose Live Autograph Entertainment, Sport, Music sale is built around signed material across three of the most-collected fields going. Chaucer is one of the UK’s go-to houses for autographs, and splitting the catalogue by entertainment, sport and music brings film buffs, terrace nostalgics and record collectors to the same evening sale.
With autographs, three things decide value: authenticity, condition and presentation. A clean signed photograph or a hand-written letter holds its money far better than a scrappy album page, and a well-documented saleroom matters because provenance is everything. If you collect film stills, sporting memorabilia or music ephemera, comb this catalogue carefully.
When and where is it?
- House: Chaucer Auctions, Unit 1, Bowles Well Gardens, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6PQ
- Date & time: Tuesday 7 July 2026, 6:00 pm (BST)
- Format: Online only — bid live through the catalogue
Browse the full lot list on the live BidSpirit catalogue, or read more about the house on the Chaucer Auctions page. A six o’clock start is handy if you are bidding after work.
What’s in the Sandwich Auction Room July sale?
The next morning the action moves up the coast to Sandwich Auction Room, set in St Mary’s on Strand Street in the heart of medieval Sandwich. This is a traditional general sale — the bread and butter of provincial auctioneering — and that is exactly the appeal. General sales are where interior designers, trade dealers and first-time bidders find what the specialist houses pass over: furniture, ceramics, pictures, silver and collectables.
If you have never bid before, a general saleroom like this is the friendliest place to start. Estimates tend to be realistic, the mix is broad, and you can often furnish a whole room for the price of a single piece from a smart London dealer. With summer here, it is also the moment to hunt garden pieces, decorative items and holiday-let furnishings.
When and where is it?
- House: Sandwich Auction Room, St Mary’s, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9HN
- Date & time: Wednesday 8 July 2026, 10:00 am (BST)
- Format: Online only
See the Sandwich Auction Room July 2026 listing for details, browse the live catalogue, or read about these Kent auctioneers on their house page. A 10am start means an early alarm if you want to follow from lot one.
What’s in the Chaucer Auctions diecast model sale?
A week later Chaucer Auctions returns with a Live Diecast Model Auction — pure pleasure for anyone who grew up with model cars. In diecast, condition and original boxes are king: the gap between a played-with model and a near-mint, boxed example can be dramatic at the hammer. Collectors chase particular makers, liveries and rarities, and a dedicated sale puts them in one place.
Filling gaps in a long-running collection or simply buying for the fun of it, online bidding lets you compete for a model that surfaces hundreds of miles away. Study the photographs for box wear and paint chips, set your maximum, and leave an absentee bid if you cannot make the 6pm start.
When and where is it?
- House: Chaucer Auctions, Unit 1, Bowles Well Gardens, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6PQ
- Date & time: Wednesday 15 July 2026, 6:00 pm (BST)
- Format: Online only
The full run of lots is on the live catalogue, with house details on the Chaucer Auctions page.
How do you bid in these Kent auctions?
All three sales run online through the live BidSpirit catalogue. Register in advance, then bid live on the night or leave an absentee (maximum) bid if you cannot attend. Remember the buyer’s premium: most UK salerooms add it on top of the hammer price, so check each house’s terms before you bid. Follow Chaucer Auctions and Sandwich Auction Room on Auction Eagle to catch their catalogues the moment they go live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which auctions are coming up in Kent this July?
Three online sales: Chaucer Auctions' autograph sale on 7 July, Sandwich Auction Room's general sale on 8 July, and Chaucer Auctions' diecast model sale on 15 July 2026.
When and where is the Chaucer Auctions autograph sale?
Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 6:00 pm (BST), online only, run from Chaucer Auctions, Unit 1, Bowles Well Gardens, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6PQ.
When and where is the Sandwich Auction Room sale?
Wednesday 8 July 2026 at 10:00 am (BST), online only, at Sandwich Auction Room, St Mary's, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9HN.
When is the Chaucer Auctions diecast model sale?
Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 6:00 pm (BST), online only, from Chaucer Auctions in Folkestone, Kent.
How do I bid at these auctions?
All three are online-only via the live BidSpirit catalogue. Register in advance, then bid live on the night or leave an absentee maximum bid if you cannot attend.
Is there a buyer's premium?
Yes. Most UK salerooms add a buyer's premium on top of the hammer price, so check each house's terms in the BidSpirit catalogue before bidding.
