Just before 10am last Tuesday morning, the usual bustle of activity at Gorringe’s came to a halt and a notable hush descended on the saleroom as we awaited the opening of bidding for our inaugural Art & Design Post 1880 sale.
Saleroom 2.jpg
The catalogue had already received considerable interest and early bids online, and we anticipated strong results for this highly impressive selection of modern art, Scandinavian, mid-century and art deco furniture, studio pottery, sculpture, and other decorative arts.
Saleroom 1.jpg
One of the earliest lots achieved a particularly gratifying result. Flowers in a Jar by Duncan Grant and George Bergen was purchased for eight times its low estimate by Charleston, where it was originally painted and hung. Not only was it fitting that this intimate work should return to the place it was created – and Grant’s former home – but we were delighted to see it sold to a cultural institution here in Lewes.
The still life is one of the very few known works in which Grant shared a canvas with another artist. Painted during the period of Grant and Bergen’s passionate love affair, it stands as both an artistic experiment and a record of Grant’s personal and artistic relationship with the persecuted Russian painter. The painting was pinned to the door of Grant’s studio at Charleston for the rest of his life and spent more than four decades in private collections before resurfacing earlier this year.
Saleroom 3.jpg
This early success set the tone for the remainder of the sale, which saw intense competition and consistently impressive results. Among the most successful lots were:
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsDame Ethel Walker, 1861-1951, 'Miss A Grainger Gray, Head Mistress.jpg
Miss A Grainger Gray, Head Mistress, Sandecotes School, Parkstone, Poole a portrait by Dame Ethel Walker (1861-1951). This charming oil on canvas sold for more than three times its high estimate, showing the enduring popularity of the Scottish painter.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsEric Slater, 1896-1963, 'Rough Sea'.jpg
Rough Sea, a woodcut by Eric Slater (1896-1963), which sold for £5,500 against an estimate of £400-600. This was another work with a local connection: Slater studied at The Hastings School of Art and lived in Seaford and the woodcut depicts the cliffs at Splash Point.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsWilliam Gear RA RBSA, 1915-1997, 'October Study.jpg
October Study, Oct 53 by William Gear RA RBSA (1915-1997). This was one of six works by Gear featured in the sale and sold on behalf of the artist’s family. The Scottish painter was a curator at Towner Gallery in Eastbourne in the late 1950s and early ’60s, where he championed modernist art in the face of considerable opposition. The work sold for £4,200 against an estimate of £1,000-2,000.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsMyles Murphy, 1927-2016, Orange Nude (Dawn).jpg
Orange Nude (Dawn) by Myles Murphy (1927-2016), which was consigned from a distinguished private collection and sold for £5,500 against an estimate of £1,000-2,000. With only one other sale result to date, Murphy may well be an artist to watch out for in the future.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsMichelangelo Pistoletto, Italian b. 1933, 'Specchio da Toilette (Toilet Mirror).jpg
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsMichelangelo Pistoletto, Italian b. 1933, 'Girasoli (Sunflowers).jpg
Two works by Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto (b. 1933) attracted considerable interest from Italian bidders, demonstrating Gorringe’s international reach. Specchio da Toilette (Toilet Mirror) sold for £7,000 while Girasoli (Sunflowers) sold for £7,500, both against estimates of £800-1,200.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsNguyen Trung, Vietnamese b. 1940, 'Message'.jpg
Message, an abstract mixed media work by Vietnamese artist Nguyen Trung (b. 1940) was another lot that drew strong interest from international buyers, achieving a hammer price of £12,000 against an estimate of £600-800.
Noke Sleeping Beauty.jpg
Noke Pierrot.jpg
Two works by Charles Noke (1858-1941) for Royal Doulton also saw keen competition. Produced with William G. Hodkinson, a Pre-Raphaelite style plaque depicting Sleeping Beauty and her lover in Renaissance dress sold for £9,000 from an estimate of £4,000-6,000. The other work by Noke’s was Sentimental Pierrot, an undecorated and unsigned white glazed figure, which sold for £3,200 against an estimate of £400 to £600 – a reflection of its rarity.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsAlessandro Pianon (Italian, 1931-1964) for Veteria Vitosi_ A 'Pulcini' bird.jpg
We were also delighted to feature three examples of the ever-popular and highly distinctive glass birds by Italian artist Alessandro Pianon (1931-1964) for Veteria Vitosi. His 'Pulcini' bird, circa 1962, achieved a hammer price of £4,600.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsA set of fourteen green painted beech garden chairs, designed by Emilio Terry for the Theatre de V.jpg
Provenance came into play with Lot 320, a set of fourteen green painted beech garden chairs, designed by Emilio Terry for the Theatre de Verdue, Chateau De Groussay, c.1963. These had since sold at Sotheby’s in Paris and Christie’s in London, and achieved a sale price of £13,000 against an estimate of £6,000-8,000.
Bugatti bench.jpg
We also saw strong results for many items of furniture featured in the sale, including this window seat or bench by Carlo Bugatti (Italian, 1856-1940). Carlo was the father of sculptor Rembrandt Bugatti and car designer Ettore Bugatti, and this beautiful piece, which has an ebonised Italian frame inlaid with bone and pewter and applied with copperwork, sold for £3,800 against an estimate of £1,500-2,500.
Post1880-Sep-Sale-LotsRené Lalique_ An exceptionally rare 'Hibou' car mascot.jpg
The highest-value sale of the day was an exceptionally rare 'Hibou' car mascot by René Lalique. One of what’s known as the ‘holy trinity’ of Lalique car mascots, the others being Renard and Comete, it was introduced on 27 January 1931, realistically modelled as a stalking owl and stencilled 'R. LALIQUE, FRANCE' signature to the side of the integral stepped circular base. The hammer price was £70,000.
We were delighted to see such a high level of interest in this inaugural sale and we’re very much looking forward to the next one on 2 December. If you’re interested in consigning items for the sale, please contact John Holmes to discuss the market for post 1880 art and design and for valuation enquiries for potential consignments.
