Decorating for dog-lovers: Five canine finds to brighten any interior

Bonhams once held annual ‘Dog Sales’ in its New York saleroom and before the pandemic struck, London’s Wallace Collection had planned to open Faithful and Fearless: Portraits of Dogs.

However, if you are a dog lover, no reason to let your ears hang low. There are still plenty of four-legged friends to be found at auctions on thesaleroom.com. Here we pick out five choice faithful friends going under the hammer soon.

Three King Charles spaniels

Sworders’ sale of Sporting Art, Wildlife and Dogs on October 6 features plenty of pooches to choose from. Among the lots is a quartet of studies of King Charles spaniels by Neville Stephen Bulwer-Lytton, 3^rd Earl of Lytton and his first wife. As well as having an artistic bent, Lytton was an athlete winning a bronze medal at the 1908 Olympics. His wife, best known as Lady Wentworth, was a noted breeder of these spaniels and in 1911 published a book on toy dogs and their origins.

The pastel above is by Lytton and depicts Champion Windfall, a Blenheim chestnut and white toy spaniel. It is offered with three further studies of red and white toy spaniels, and a print of Lady Lytton with Champion Windfall, with an estimate of £200-300.

View and bid for these King Charles spaniel pictures here.

Oak Greyhounds

This pair of 18th century single-sided carved oak greyhounds is offered with an estimate of £400-600 at Toovey’s on October 1.

This pair of carved oak recumbent greyhounds are from the 18^th century or earlier, finely modelled with crossed front paws and wearing collars. The facing models are each carved on one side and are offered during Toovey’s auction on October 1.

View and bid for this pair of 18^th century carved oak greyhounds here.

Spaniel in motion

Estimated at £1000-1500, this painting of a spaniel flushing out a woodcock has an estimate of £1000-1500.

Not all dogs in art are patiently posed – take this 20^th century picture of spaniel flushing out a woodcock, for example. The oil on canvas is by contemporary artist John Trickett and is offered with an estimate of £1000-1500 at Sworders sale of Sporting Art, Wildlife and Dogs on October 6.

View and bid for this modern picture of a dog with a woodcock here.

Staffordshire dogs

Chiswick Auctions offers a group of Staffordshire dogs including a pair of poodles designed by William Kent with an estimate of £100-200 on September 30.

The Staffordshire spaniel is probably the quintessential dog antique, but if spaniels aren’t really your thing, there are plenty of other breeds to choose from. Take this pair of Staffordshire poodles, for example, designed by William Kent, c.1825-50. Shown at the centre of the picture here, both have yellow game birds in their mouths and are raised on pink and green stepped bases. The lot includes a variety of other dogs, all offered for £100-200 at Chiswick Auctions on September 30.

View and bid for these Staffordshire dogs here. 

Man’s best friend

This portrait of John Reed attributed to his brother is offered with an estimate of £400-600 at Anderson & Garland’s Autumn Country House & Fine Interiors Auction of September 29-30.

From Chinese terracotta models to Jeff Koons-style balloon dogs there are plenty of stylised canines to bid for on thesaleroom.com. This 19th century English portrait is another option if you want something really reflective of time and place. The portrait of sportsman Joseph Reed with his dog is attributed to John Reed (1811-61), his brother, and is offered with an estimate of £400-600 at Anderson & Garland’s Autumn Country House & Fine Interiors Auction of September 29-30.

View and bid for this 19th century portrait here.