Roseberys- Successful Modern British Art Auction
Bidders were out in force for Roseberys Modern & Contemporary British Art auction on Tuesday 11 August, absorbing 80% of the lots on offer. Containing a wealth of high-quality art by celebrated British artists, the auction that took place on a scorching hot day generated spirited bidding throughout with a number of lots exceeding expectations.
Vicki Wonfor, Joint Managing Director commented ‘I was delighted to see a strong sold rate of 80% across the board in the sale. We are operating an appointment system for viewings which has been well received by clients as they get to enjoy the view safely and our specialists can ensure they can spend time with the clients assisting them. 95% of bidding took place online with the remainder on the telephone, it is great to see the clients have the confidence in the options that are available to them including video viewing pre-auction as an alternative to attending. The sale had a stronger focus on the third to fourth quarters of the 20th century on this occasion, but it was good to see the popularity of the earlier works was still evident with pieces from Stanley Spencer, Walter Sickert and Sir Jacob Epstein selling well.’
Opening the sale off to an exciting start was lot 2, by British artist William Tillyer. Rarely does his work on mesh come onto the market, especially in such great condition, so this artwork proved to be extremely popular amongst bidders on the day. Entered into the auction at £5,000- £8,000, the work exceeded its estimate to make £13,750. The artwork was purchased from Bernard Jacobson Gallery London in 1980s by the current owner’s father, where it was exhibited at in 1980. Tillyer studied at Middlesbrough College of Art (1956-1959) and the Slade School of Art in London (1960-1962). In 1978, he moved to Wiltshire, where he first began to paint on wire mesh, such as this piece.
Following incredible sale results from Richard Smith CBE in the previous sale, Roseberys were delighted to be able to offer multiple works by the artist once again. Lot 7 was the highlight sale from the collection by the renowned artist making £12,500. The artwork named ‘Bucklee’ is a pun on the name Stephen Buckley, a close friend of Richard Smiths who owned works by the fellow Pop artist. The artwork was bought from Christie’s in 2013 and purchased by the present owner from the Roger Hilton Gallery.
Among the other highlight sales from the auction was work by Sir Jacob Epstein, titled ‘Peonies’. Jacob Epstein made his name as a sculptor of monuments and portraits, as well as working as a painter and illustrator. The watercolour on paper (lot 35) that was estimated to sell for £1,000 – £1,500 eventually made over double its top estimate selling for £4,500.
Entered into the market at £400 – £600, lot 48 by Charles Henry Sims RA RWS, exceeded its top estimate to make £1,625. The oil on board titled ‘Pastorale’, is a beautiful example of the unique style that he adopted later in his career. An expert at portraying sunlit landscapes, Sims specialised in society portraits and neo-classical fantasies, typically idealised scenes of women, children or fairies in outdoor settings. Later in life, his artworks became a lot more modernist in style, termed “Spirituals” like the artwork sold at Roseberys.
Following shortly after this highlight was an artwork by British artist, Sir Stanley Spencer CBE RA that sold for £5,750, exceeding its top estimate of £3,000. Titled ‘Portrait of a girl’, this particular drawing would have been executed over a year before the artist’s death on 14th December 1959. Spencer was frequently commissioned to complete portrait drawings – referred to as ‘heads’ – until the end of his career. The fine lines and precision of the drawing shows the influence of his time at the Slade under the tutelage of Henry Tonks between 1908 and 1912.
The Illustrations within the auction did very well, including works by Claud Lovat Fraser, Quentin Blake and Louis Wain. Entered into the auction at £150 – £200, titled ‘Kitchener’s Army’, Claud Lovat Fraser’s work finally realised £2,500. The black ink and wash and watercolour on buff coloured paper are from an album of twenty-two studies entitled ‘The Costumes and Uniforms of the British Army’. The work by the illustrator and costume designer has previously been exhibited at Leicester Galleries, London, Exhibition of Works by C. Lovat Fraser in December 1921, the RWS Galleries in London for their Fifty Years Ago Exhibition in June 1965 and examples from the same series have also been displayed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Estimated to make £800 – £1,200, the illustration in pen, ink and watercolour by the popular illustrator Quentin Blake OBE, titled ‘Cockatoos’ made £5,750. The provenance of this work comes from Chris Beetles Ltd., in London, where it was also exhibited in 2000. The illustration was created for the cover of his classic book series, about a group of troublesome cockatoos on the run from their owner, first published in 1992.
Estimated to make £300 – £500, the signed, pen, ink and watercolour illustration by the hugely prolific British artist Louis Wain titled ‘It Rained Very Hard’ made £3,000. Louis Wain was one of the most popular commercial illustrators in the history of England. Born in 1860, his anthropomorphic portrayals of cats captured the imagination of the Edwardian era and his work helped to raise the profile and popularity of felines to unprecedented heights. Before Wain, cats in England were often thought of with disdain but his work humanised them and helped to show them as something to be liked, admired and eventually loved.
Both coming with fantastic gallery provenance were lots 109 and 110 by former Turner Prize nominee Therese Oulton. The two oils gained great interest from both the UK and the US to achieve results beyond their original estimates. Lot 109, titled ‘Heresies No.1, Opus316’, was entered into the auction at £400 – £600, selling for £2,125. Following swiftly after lot 110 titled ‘Heresies No.2’, also estimated at the same value, sold for £3,250.
Lot 172, by artist Stephen Cox RA, proved to be the highlight of the auction. The work on offer titled ‘Ecstasy’, made from red verona marble is a very significant work to have come onto the market by this artist. It comes from a private collection and was previously on display at the Tate, so comes with great exhibition history. The result signals a new auction record for the artist. Roseberys has had previous outstanding results for the artist in past Modern & Contemporary British Art auctions. Estimated to sell for £3,000 – £5,000, the bidding was between a phone and internet bidder, finally selling to a UK bidder for £15,000.
Ending the highlights from the sale is lot 267 by artist duo Boyd & Evans. Roseberys are delighted to have offered work by the artists again following the collection for sale in September 2019, alongside an event featuring a talk by the artists about their work to date. The acrylic on canvas titled Point of View created in 1972 coming from the Flowers Gallery in London was estimated to make between £800 – £1,200, finally realising a price of £4,250.
The next Modern & Contemporary British Art auction will take place on Wednesday 4 November. Now welcoming consignments for this auction. To request a valuation please contact [email protected]
For further information please contact Peigi Mackillop [email protected] +44 (0) 20 8761 2522
For more information about Roseberys, CLICK HERE
H&H Classics- Captain Tom Moore Loves Motorcycles
If one man represents the best of Britain during this global pandemic it is Captain Tom Moore who stole the nation’s heart by walking 100 laps around his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for the NHS, achieving a total of £32m by the time he had finished.
Captain Tom pledged to complete the 2.5km (1.6 miles), the 100-lap garden challenge at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire by his 100th birthday on 30 April. He was knighted for his efforts.
Now an ITV documentary has been filmed about Sir Tom’s love of motorcycles. It was produced by North One and was broadcast on ITV 1, yesterday August 13th.
For the film shoot, Mark Bryan of H&H Classics provided a 1920’s Royal Enfield Model 200, supplied by Hitchcocks Motorcycles in Solihull. It was one of the first bikes that Sir Tom restored after discovering it as a barn-find, and which he rode around in his garden as a very young man.
Mark comments: “It was an absolute honour to be able to help out, even in such a small way. Sir Tom’s infectious enthusiasm and knowledge of motorcycling is quite amazing”
Two other motorbikes featured in the documentary, an Excelsior Manxman and a Scott two speed. Both are bikes Sir Tom remembers fondly from his youth.
He was described as being: “a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus”, and for his shining example, Captain Tom Moore was awarded a knighthood.
Fundraising for ‘NHS Charities Together’, the then 99-year-old said he was doing it “for the sake of the nurses and the NHS”. Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, and a veteran of World War Two, Captain Tom Moore was inspired to help the NHS after receiving treatment for skin cancer and a broken hip after a fall in 2018.
The money he raised by his sponsored walk round his garden is being used to help comfort and care for NHS workers through these turbulent times. After completing his 100 laps, he had a message for the British public in the midst of the pandemic. “To all those people who are finding it difficult at the moment… the sun will shine on you again, and the clouds will go away.”
FOR MORE PRESS INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE H&H CLASSICS PRESS OFFICE:
Julian Roup ON +44(0)7970563958
OR email [email protected]
FOR MORE PRESS INFORMATION ABOUT H&H CLASSICS CLICK HERE
Freeman’s- The Pennsylvania Sale Returns with Esherick
On Wednesday, October 28th, Freeman’s will hold its renowned Pennsylvania Sale. This returning event showcases the development of craftsmanship in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Wharton Esherick furniture from the Hedgerow Theatre Collection will highlight the sale, along with works by George Nakashima and a collection of folk portraits by Joseph Maentel.
THE PENNSYLVANIA SALE: A CELEBRATION OF THE REGION
Launched in 2005 to coincide with Freeman’s bicentennial, the sale is a tribute to Pennsylvania’s long-standing legacy as a major and influential artistic region. From the portraits of Thomas Sully to the woodwork of George Nakashima, this year’s sale is once again poised to represent the state’s prolific artists across generations.
Building on Freeman’s long-term success selling items from its native state, The Pennsylvania Sale is a tribute to the entire region—its history, people, and the art and objects they made, used, and cherished.
Connecting works with collectors in Europe and Asia, in addition to the robust American market, Freeman’s has helped build the global art market’s appreciation of Post-War craft and design from Pennsylvania.
THE PENNSYLVANIA SALE’S HISTORY OF SUCCESS
The previous Pennsylvania Sale and the American Furniture, Folk, & Decorative Arts auction held the following day brought in a combined $1.7 million in sales. Bidders around the world competed for some of Pennsylvania’s finest 20th-century design, fine silver, furniture, folk art, and early American portraiture.
“We were thrilled with the results for the 20th Century Design section of The Pennsylvania Sale and equally delighted with the results achieved by exceptional examples of Americana,” said Vice President of Freeman’s, Lynda Cain, at the time.
HIGHLIGHTS: WORKS BY THE “DEAN OF AMERICAN CRAFTSMEN,” WHARTON ESHERICK
As part of this year’s Pennsylvania Sale, Freeman’s is proud to present Wharton Esherick furniture made for the Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most historically significant collections of the artist’s work.
In 1923, Esherick began designing for the Hedgerow Theatre in exchange for his daughter’s acting lessons. He built sets, woodblock posters, furniture, and other pieces for the theatre’s use. Eventually, its Green Room even became an unofficial gallery for Esherick’s work.
FROM PENNSYLVANIA PORTRAITURE TO FEDERAL FURNITURE
The sale will feature a rich selection of works by George Nakashima. Vintage pieces from the 1950s through the 1980s by the famed New Hope, Pennsylvania woodworker will be made available. Joining Nakashima is work by 20th-century designers Phillip Lloyd Powell, Paul Evans, and Samuel Yellin, including pieces from the latter’s estate.
Pennsylvania portraiture ranges from the formal work of Thomas Sully (1763-1872) to five folk portraits by Jacob Maentel (1778-1863). Consignments from three East Coast private collections include a selection of fraktur, redware, Chester County needlework, and an extremely fine polychrome carving of a fantail rooster.
Queen Anne, Chippendale, Federal, and Classical furniture and timepieces from Philadelphia and several counties will also be available. Of special note is a group of Federal furnishings: chairs, pier table, pair of chests, and a secretary bookcase attributed to the workshop of Ephraim Haines (1775-1837) and Henry Connelly (active 1793-1824).
CONSIGNMENTS WELCOME
This year’s Pennsylvania Sale is still open for consignment. If you have a piece that would make an exemplary addition to the event, please contact Tim Andreadis at [email protected] with more information about your property.
AUCTION
October 28 | 10 am EST