As you gather your turkey remains and tidy up the last traces of - what I hope has been for you - a great Christmas, it's time to start gearing up for the New Year...

We'll be offering you plenty of advice on how to prepare for 2012's markets over the next few days.

Among the most intriguing - and strong performing - collectibles niches this year was fine wine. All the top auction houses reported a strong and prosperous 2011.

Sotheby's wine auctions achieved $85.5m. Bonhams reportedly sold $17m of wine. And Acker Merrall & Condit's sales topped $110m.

How to keep your corks popping in 2012

At the same time, some market analysts have reported that the 'Bordeaux bubble' has burst. In other words, prices for Bordeaux have been lower than expected at recent auctions.

Is this bad news? Not exactly...

Because the collectibles markets are so resilient, they can adapt to these trends. So expect to see less Bordeaux sales in 2012. This should tighten values up.

Recent lower values for Bordeaux are down to an increase in supply.

Take values of Domaine Romanee-Conti (DRC) wines. They are expected to remain high because DRC wines are produced in such small quantities. In other words, DRC is one to watch in 2012.

Revered DRC Burgundy including a bottle of 1985 Romanee-Conti and a jeroboam of 1971 La Tache

DRC Burgundies are very rare, and are therefore predicted to hold
their values in 2012's fine wine markets

Also bear in mind that the markets - fine wines as well as other collectibles niches - are constantly attracting more and more collectors and drinkers around the world.

These additional collectors could counteract any 'oversupply' and help prices increase in 2012. Which brings me to another crucial tip about collecting...

Never forget the importance of rarity

In our exclusive interview with auctioneer Philip Weiss - which you can read here - he predicts that comic books and animation art will be big collecting niches in 2012. I agree with him.

In particular, Philip talks at some length about his love of vintage comic book art.

Like old Peanuts strips by the legendary Charles Schulz. Schulz is ever-popular among collectors - his works are among the markets' great blue chips.

And, speaking of comic books and animation art, we have a piece in stock which brings together the best of both words: a film still from the 1972 Peanuts movie Snoopy, Come Home.

The movie is today a cult favourite, and this film still is autographed by Charles Schulz himself. Needless to say, this piece is as rare as it is coveted.