Joe Laird (Ireland) ash platter 9x50cm. Signed Many years ago (more than I care to remember) I attended a woodturning Seminar as an amateur and it was my first time to meet Ray Key in person. I had read the books, the articles in the magazines, studied the forms and really looked forward to the demonstration. The competition is always a highlight at any seminar and Ray judged and selected the winners. Although I did not win anything on this day Ray did refer to my then Bowl more than once in his critique of the pieces. After the Seminar finished, I approached Ray and asked if he would advise me on what and how to improve the piece. I was surprised at how reassuring he was, he informed me that it was so close and needed a few changes to be a winner. Asking what he would do with it, he explained how he would change a few things around and basically that I had overdone it trying to show the piece off. He knew that I had a beautiful piece of Burr Elm and it just needed to be seen as natural as possible and discard all the decorations I had added. After a few weeks I took on board the advice Ray had given me and remounted and turned the bowl to a more natural look. The bowl went on to win some competitions and later got First place at our National Seminar. The following Monday morning (early) I rang Ray to inform him of my victory and to thank him for the advice he had given me. I know I got him out of bed, but he still came to the phone and chatted with me for a while. I know Ray did not remember me at that time but he remembered the bowl and said “ahh yes the Burr Elm “When I thanked him for the advice Ray would not take any credit and just said: I gave you some advice, you took it on board and re turned the piece, so you deserve all the credit Joe not me. That was my first impression of Ray; an unselfish man with plenty of time and good advice for up and coming woodturners. Our paths crossed many times after that at various woodturning events and we often talked about that bowl and laughed at how he remembered it and not me. I was thrilled when asked to finish one on Ray’s pieces and I picked the biggest blank that was available as my first choice. I like to work with Ash and I knew I could have a bit of fun with the piece. Ray had roughed out and dried the piece to the shape it is today, I kept the same original shape and just recut the bowl till it was back the way Ray had it. With such a wide rim I was reluctant to texture as the grain is really cool and I wanted to keep it so. I started to cut grooves across the top and just kept going until they joined up, I was happy with the result. The outside I just did some texture and playing with patterns and borders. I knew the piece had to be lifted up to show itself so I added the foot to give it some height, I also cut grooves on this the pick up from the rim. I wanted to put something in the centre to connect with the rim because it seemed to be far away from the bowl, so the Celtic Knot insert was to tie it all together. There are 272 grooves on the bowl including the foot and one extra wide one. For me: I like to think this represents Ray and the others are turners he influenced, inspired, encouraged and helped into the World of woodturning. I hope you enjoy looking at this bowl as much as I enjoyed turning it and working with Ray on his piece. Many thanks for the opportunity to participate. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
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John Boyne-Aitken (UK) decorated ash vessel 7x12cm. Signed The Ray Key collaboration It must be over 30 years ago since I first saw Ray demonstrating at one of the shows. It might have been the NEC but my memory lets me down these days. I remember standing and watching him turn with the ease and grace that only comes with years of experience and then standing and talking with him about tools and techniques, he was always willing to pass on his knowledge. Years later I joined the AWGB committee as an area rep and by this time Ray was the President and I enjoyed his company on many occasions. I had the need to call in on him one day to pick up some exhibition pieces and when I walked into his workshop I was staggered at the number of bowls he had stacked around drying and waiting for him to finish off, I had never seen a turner working so hard. We discussed AWGB business over a cup of tea, the conversation drifted towards pieces I was working on, Ray was always interested in other people’s work and offered advice on how my work was developing. Ray liked clean lines and natural timber and when I mentioned that I was playing with the application of paint he pointed out that I could not just go and put a painting on the side of a piece as it had to be properly framed and made to look as though it was meant to be there. When I became the Chairman of the Register of Professional Turners Ray was one of the first people to email me his congratulations and I could always rely on his wise counsel. The collaboration pieces are meant to be finished in our own style, I do not have a particular style, but remembering Ray’s comments from several years ago, I have applied a lozenge with which to frame the applied decoration. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
John Wessels (South Africa) striped ebony and pewter nest of three bowls 5x15, 3x13 and 2x8cm. Signed I first met Ray at a AWGB Symposium in 2008 at Loughborough.In 2009 and 2010 I attended the Symposiums and Ray was there as usual.I was invited to demonstrate at the 2011 AWGB Symposium at Loughborough University. Ray was always in attendance.We met on a few occasions at the American AAW Symposiums over the years. That is my involvement with Ray Key during the twelve year of Woodturning and demonstrating around the world since 2007 The shape that Ray put on the outside lead me to the three bowls.The large bowl having the outside form that was on the blank.The two waves on the top invited me to core the other two bowls out.I use my pewter technique to form the three feet.The inside of each bowl has 40/60 Bismuth/ Tin melted into the wood grooves and textured. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Andrew Hall (UK) Burr elm blues bowl guitar with pickup, tuner, plectrum, slideand case 80x26cm. Signed My first meeting with Ray was about 12 years ago when we worked together delivering a teenage turning weekend I had attended as an assistant to Jimmy Clewes and Jimmy introduced me to Ray. I then had the pleasure of seeing Ray demonstrate at the last ever Craft Supplies show in Bakewell at the old cattle mart. Ray did a brilliant demonstration and show cased the graduate lathe. My fondest memory of Ray was when I demonstrated at the last AWGB seminar to be held at Loughborough University during my 2 hours down time I had the pleasure of listening to Ray tell me his autobiography and enjoyed a piece of Liz Keys delicious fruit cake which she always made for the volunteers and demonstrators at the seminar. When I was asked to participate in the collaborative project I was delighted and hoped to receive a nice burr bowl to complete and that I did, The bowl was beautiful part turned blank of burr elm. Very little material was removed to true up the bowl and when I had completed the turning I decided to retain as much of the integrity of the bowl as I could. I decided I would include my influence by making the bowl into a blues bowl which I am known for. My thoughts were don't change the simplicity of the bowl as Ray was known for stating keep it simple and let the wood speak for itself and me for the instrument. I am so pleased to have been part of this excellent initiative Thank you The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Joss Naigeon (France) pierced and decorated hollow form 9x9cm. Signed I first met Ray Key in 2003 at the International french Symposium in Puy St Martin.I was young in the woodturning field at that time and I took a class with Ray : he has opened for me the huge world of boxes!And I’m still in love with boxes, trying to find new ones with good shapes and good fitting.I’m often thinking of Ray when I make them.The attached photo is a box inspired by 2 masters in woodturning : Ray Key and Jean-François Escoulen.This collaboration piece is not a box! I’ve tried to keep the shape of the piece that Ray has given, thinner as possible on the top, to add some lace that reveal a gold ribbon like a farandole of woodturners around the world. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Keith Tompkins (USA) coloured ash hollow form withfinial 25x9cm. Signed I first started woodturning before I was aware of groups such as the AAW and books such as Ray’s “The Basic Box” were critical to my growth as a turner. I owe my end grain hollowing techniques to Ray; the first time I saw a spindle gouge used to turn a box simply changed the way I turn. I still use the same technique. I was fortunate to finally meet Ray at the 35th Utah Woodturning Symposium, where we were both demonstrating. This was a fun collaboration; Ray described himself as a “purist” and me well not so much! So, I felt it was most important to keep the shape that Ray started exactly as it was as I removed the excess wood from the base and finished the hollowing process. I figured Ray wouldn’t mind if I added a bit of colour, so a layer of black was applied and sanded back and then the transparent green was airbrushed over it. I finished the piece with several coats of lacquer. I love turning finials so it only seemed fitting using the basics: beads and coves, separated by fillets. I think the purist in Ray would have approved. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Kevin Hutson (UK) burr elm hollow form 30x26cm. Signed The piece I have chosen and turned for Ray’s collaboration is burr elm. I wanted to show the natural figuration of the grain, which Ray always considered. I have turned one of my hollow vase designs, purely to show the natural beauty of the wood. Living in Brighton I was lucky enough to have known Bert Marsh for several years. There was a very strong connection between bert and Ray and I was very fortunate that Bert introduced me to Ray. I met Ray on numerous occasions after that introduction. My first experience with woodturning was to find out more on the craft and in the doing so came across Ray’s first book, which I still cherish today. Ray’s work has influenced me for many years with his skill and forms together using the natural beauty and figuration within the wood. Ray’s enthusiasm and dedication for woodturning has inspired me and many others. He always made time to chat and encourage his skills worldwide. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Kip Christensen (USA) mountain mahogany natural edge bowl 6x13cm. Signed Prior to my receiving the bowl blank, Ray had turned and rough-sanded the outside. The inside was rough-turned leaving a wall thickness of about 1”. Most of the bark was still clinging tenaciously to the rim, but there were sections where the bark was missing. I felt this was best resolved by removing the bark altogether. There was also a faint hair-line crack up one end of the bowl, which warned me to not turn the walls too thin. The outside line of the bowl is very near Ray’s original shape. I reduced the diameter of the base somewhat and added a foot with an understated, tapered cove. Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus) is a shrub or small tree in the rose family that gets its common name from the color of the heartwood, not from any relation to the mahogany family. The plant is deciduous and produces a very hard wood with a tight grain that can take fine detail such as chatter-work and rose engine cuts. It is native to mountainous regions of western United States from the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific Coast, and from Oregon south to Mexico. It is quite likely that Ray would have obtained this piece of wood during one of his trips to the Utah Woodturning Symposium. There is also a possibility that he could have obtained this wood from me, as I have often taken mountain mahogany to the symposium to trade for other species. While the wood is sought after by woodturners, it can be a challenge to harvest as it grows at elevations from 2,000 to 10,000 feet. I have been fortunate to know Ray since the 1980’s when he first presented at the Utah Woodturning Symposium. I have fond memories of long conversations with Dale Nish and Ray, including some at Dale’s residence, at Craft Supplies USA, and at my home in Springville, Utah. Ray was an excellent demonstrator who never tired of turning wood or of telling stories related to woodturning. His forms were simple and pure, and his finished pieces were without blemish. His influence on woodturning in the United States dated back to the late 1970’s and continues to this day. I am fortunate to have a few of Ray’s pieces in my collection of woodturnings, including a lidded container of cocobolo, an Indian rosewood bowl, an vessel of locally (Utah) harvested apricot, and a platter he turned from a spectacular piece of birdseye maple. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Liam O'Neill (Ireland) spalted beech platter 7x49cm. Signed Ray Key tribute piece. Liam O’Neill. Title: Wormy Spalted Beech Platter. I first met Ray in 1980 at Parnham House, Dorset, at Europe’s first modern seminar in Woodturning. Attendees were exposed for the first time to the groundbreaking work of a number of top US craftsmen, but Ray’s exquisite boxes, platters and bowls perfectly married the artistic with the functional. Three years later, when I ran Ireland’s first seminar, Ray was my natural choice to be our headline demonstrator. He was a seminal influence on all who came in contact with him. We demonstrated together many times over the years, and because we shared a similar turning philosophy, I always enjoyed his company. The roughed out piece which I chose to complete is one of Ray’s iconic platters. It was riddled with woodworm, but he had marked the holes, so I concluded that he intended to finish it. The piece was already dry so I completed the turning, and thoroughly soaked it in cellulose thinners to kill any remaining worm eggs. It curled a bit when suffused with the liquid, but returned to the flat when dried again. I filled most of the worm holes with a mixture of black graphite powder and glue, but inevitably, I missed a couple. It is finished with satin Ronseal. It was a privilege to know Ray, and my turning was the richer because of him. He will be missed, not only by Liz and Darren, but by thousands around the world. Goodbye Ray. Liam O’Neill, April 2019. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mark Hancock (UK) burr elm bowl with gilded interior 10x26cm. Signed I first met Ray at David Woodward’s gallery in Hay-on-Wye the day before the opening of the AWGB exhibition there in 1990. I was still training to be a woodturner at the time and was there with my tutor trying to get a couple of pieces of work included in the exhibition via the back door! We didn’t succeed but I still remember the generous comments given by Ray and his great friend, Bert Marsh, regarding our work. Over the years I met, worked and exhibited with Ray on so many occasions it’s difficult to remember them all. He had a great passion for the craft of woodturning with a wealth of knowledge and was a wonderful storyteller. I do recall the sound advice he gave me at two events where we were both demonstrating and have followed it ever since. My fondest memories are those after event get togethers with the banter flowing between Ray and Bert and crying with laughter. I feel truly privileged to have known him. The Piece It’s always hard to complete someone else’s work particularly when that person is the legend Ray Key. The elm piece had been mounted on a faceplate, the outside and top surface not covered by the faceplate had been turned. It had a tenon prepared on the base for a chuck. The piece ran almost perfectly true when mounted in the old Axminster Super Precision chuck as used by Ray. I decided to keep to his KISS (“keep it simple stupid”) principle and removed as little as possible to true the outside up and keep to the original form as much as possible. None of the centre had been removed, possibly because of the large crack on the outside, and my initial reaction was to leave it like that but that would have left the faceplate screw holes. I finally decided to hollow out enough just to eliminate the screw holes, trying to create a flowing internal surface with an undercut edge. I was tempted to reduce the diameter of the rim in order to remove blemish in the edge but decided against that as I didn’t want to take away any more than I had to of Ray’s original work. It also reminded me of one of Ray’s pieces where he left a chainsaw cut in the finished work. The gilding of the inside with 24 carat gold leaf is the only part that may possibly be considered to be from my style of work. It’s Ray’s piece and I wanted it to remain that way as much as possible. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mark Sanger (UK) brazillian tulipwood carved and coloured vessel 16x10cm. Signed When I started woodturning Ray Key was one of the first names I came to know from reading his woodturning articles. His book ‘The Woodturner's Workbook: An Inspirational & Practical Guide to Designing & Making’ being one of the first I read as I became absorbed by the craft. Little did I know that many years later I would meet and work with Ray at various woodturning shows and seminars where I always found him with an enthusiastic smile, energy and willingness to help me and others around him in our woodturning endeavours. Rays vast input into the craft of woodturning the world over which he so tirelessly promoted will remain for us all and I was privileged to have met and learnt from him. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mark Sfirri (USA)coloured & painted ash solid form 16x10cm. Signed I first met Ray 39 years ago when I had first started teaching woodworking at Bucks County Community College in 1981. I next met him in Philadelphia in 1988 at the second American Association of Woodturners conference. After that, it’s a blur, there were so many conferences and Ray and I always took time to have long discussions about the state of affairs of turning on so many different fronts. In 1999, I was asked to be a part of the AWGB conference which was a big honor for me. My turning room was across a crosswalk from most of the other demonstrators. I was set to go with my first demonstration and was waiting for about five minutes before beginning and I looked out and there was a maintenance worker with a shovel who stepped onto the shovel into the ground and hit a wire which cut the power to my side of the building and I thought “Oh dear!” I ran over to the other part of the building and found Ray with a few of the other organizers and told them of my plight. The three of them stepped into high gear reminding me of a fire department getting the call. They ran extension cords all the way to my room and I was good to go within minutes and I could proceed with my demonstration. I remember some great discussions in Puy St. Martin with Ray and Liz around 2003, if memory serves. About the Collaborative Piece I was unsure what I was going to do when I selected a rough turned block in August of 2018. When it arrived, I still had no clue. I did think early on, that it would be upside down from what Ray originally intended, which would have been a naturally finished, nicely proportioned bowl with a foot. I was very careful to have the overall contour of the outside of the piece to be very much Ray’s line. I took off very little of it and continued the line to a point, with very little room to space on the block. I wanted to carve in a recessed area to paint something but had to think of what that might be. It was a eureka moment when that idea came to me and the imagery became clear. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mary Ashton (UK) spalted beech footed bowl 8x20cm. Signed I first met Ray whilst at my first AWGB Seminar in 2005. I had made a couple of pieces for the gallery and was nervously excited whilst watching the gallery critique realising that one of my pieces was in line behind Ray awaiting his keen eyed appraisal. My piece was just about to be handed to him when the critique was drawn to a swift close due to overrunning time, other exciting events on the timetable couldn’t wait. Max Carey and other club members next to me noticed my disappointment, and as all were disappearing off excitedly to their next engagement, Max dragged me across the room to introduce me to Ray, who kindly agreed to give me a personal critique. I remember feeling quite overwhelmed when Ray was so complimentary about the shape and finish of my piece, with the knowledge that he was such an expert in both these fields himself. I went away with a huge smile on my face was even bigger the next morning when I found my piece had been picked from the gallery to be part of the travelling expedition. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the seminar due to receiving a grant from the AWGB. Of course the AWGB and consequently the seminar, and grants would not exist if Ray had not got together with other like-minded people, and worked to achieve their vision of bringing the woodturning community together for both advancement of skills, and just as importantly socially. I am hugely grateful to be part of this woodturning community. My Ray Key piece Spalted Beech 3 footed bowl ~ ‘Milliput’ used to fill fissure ~ finished with Danish oil and microcrystalline wax When my selected ‘roughed’ item arrived in the post I was rather concerned about the large fissure which appeared more daunting than I remembered in the image I had seen. After initial panic and much deliberation considering artistic removal of ‘the gash’ (not easy with its position on the item), I decided filling seemed the only option. My main aim with taking part in this collaboration was to make something, hopefully with good, simple form which was evident even in Rays roughed out shape, and also knowing that Ray would not let any piece leave his workshop unless it was well finished I wished to achieve this too. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mary Lacer (USA) spalted beech box 7x6cm. Signed Ray was always known for his boxes. When I started turning I was drawn to his boxes that looked like a hat. I turned a variety of boxes especially a number of mushroom boxes and then moved on to other items. I chose a solid blank of Ray’s to have the flexibility of working on a design. So in looking back I decided to do a version of a ‘hat box’ since I’ve turned a lot of hats in my turnings over the years. I put a Maloof finish on my box. Back in the early 80’s there weren’t classes like people can attend today at numerous schools around the country. I met Ray at conferences in the United States and attended his demonstrations. Ray emphasized practice and even looking back at your work a month later, one could see improvement in your turnings. I loved the “foot” positions in a photo in his book, Woodturning & Design. When watching Ray demonstrate, he made it all look so easy. One of the first books he recommended was Fred Pain’s book, The Practical Woodturner, which I think everyone had in their library. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Matt Overton & Barb Serratore (Joe Seltzer) yew natural edge bowl with quote from Winnie the Pooh - "We didn't know we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun" 7x10cm. Signed Matt studied the four pieces by Ray in his collection and decided to honor Ray by trying to keep his elegant simplicity of form. Matt finish turned the bowl to slightly thin it and to create a smoother surface on the inside. The sap ring, which varied in height from 3/8" to 1/2" was the perfect space to embellish. Barb wanted to woodburn a quote around the live edge. In choosing the quote, she considered what she knew of Ray: he was a personable and well liked man who made friends easily and enjoyed collaborative art. And he was English. So, who better than Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne) could have said, "We didn't realise we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun." And if we are fortunate enough, isn't that a life well described? As for the layout of the quote, Barb chose to burn it in between two small checks that developed in the edge as the piece was turned. Barb burned a small and shadowed butterfly on the inside of the bowl to symbolize Ray's spirit in flight. While they were concerned about the checks when they first appeared, the checks figured very heavily on the layout and design in a very positive manner. The quote and attribution were too short to reach around the entire circumference of the bowl, so Barb worked it in between the checks. Its location on the outer edge very naturally dictated the placement of the butterfly on the inner bowl. We are very grateful for the opportunity to have participated. We hope our work honours Ray's memory. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Max Brosi (Ireland) elm carved and coloured vessel 10x9cm. Signed Ray's commitment to simplicity, form, and the purity of line really struck a chord with me from the first time I saw his work. I'm honoured to have been asked to take part in this tribute to the life and work of such an influential figure in our art. It took some time and a lot of thought for me to figure out how I was going to do justice to this collaboration. My intent was to maintain Ray's clear form while adding my own identity to the piece. Not an easy task since a lot of my work is larger, turned on multiple axes, and sculptural in nature. Applying my usual techniques would have removed all traces of Ray's involvement. I chose to apply a heavily carved, scorched, and limed texture that I am currently using on some of my Cypress vessels as I thought this would work well on a smaller scale with the tighter, yet open nature of the grain of Elm (which the piece is made from), while maintaining Ray's overall form. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Melvyn Firmager (UK) walnut and bog oak hollow form 16x10cm. Signed I first met Ray when I started turning in 1980, the first person to answer questions and offer advice at a demonstration. His openness and generosity always remembered. I never had any training in woodturning, as I just picked up as I went along, luckily in having a natural ability, and could learn from observation. It was observing Ray at the start, then along with many other well-known turners along the way, that set me on the path. The good thing about not having actual tuition, for me, was the development of my own unique techniques and tool designs, that led me to the work I became known for. So I am forever grateful for that early start. I guess my one regret is I never told Ray that. On the other hand, it led me to pass on my skills both freely and professionally. The piece sent me of Ray’s certainly was a challenge. It had warped hugely and had a catch on the rim (yes it happens to the best of us!). I actually wonder if it was a discarded piece. Never the less, I took up the challenge, going through the process in my head working with the warp, to add multi wavy eucalyptus rims, as known for that. Then changed tack, took a chance/quite a risk, and decided to reform Ray’s design, maintain his integrity and sense of direction, bring it back to symmetry, which was his forte, hollow out fairly thin and add a double rim piece of 6,000-year-old bog oak from the Somerset levels, near to where I live. I hope I have done Ray’s work justice. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Merryll Saylan (USA) caarved and coloured ash platter 4x35cm. Signed In Honour of Ray Key I had me Tay Key at conferences, the first way back in the late 70’s. I moved to the UK on a residency program at Grizedal Sculpture Park in 1990 and Ray had been advising them on machinery that I might be needing. That’s when I became closer friends with Ray and his family. Ray helped me find a lathe to work on which I still use – my well loved Graduate. I joined the AWGB and with Ray’s help and the organisation’s as well, I felt part of my new community. Ray always included my husband, Ed Saylan and in particular helped him understand cricket – not an easy thing to do. I was thrilled to receive a platter started by Ray. His mounting recess fitted my Axminster chuck perfectly. I was introduced to that chuck whilst living in the UK and still use that as well. For several of the exhibitions that I participated in living over there, I frequently used black or charred finishes. This plate and the type of wood was a perfect vehicle for that treatment. I kept the size of the rim Ray started, turned enough of it to make it round and balanced, carved the edges and part of the base, burnt it and finished with both oil and a dark wax. I send my respects to AWGB and to Liz Key and Darren. Thank you for including me in this event, it is an honour. With warm regards Merryll Saylan The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Michael Gibson (USA) cocobolo hollow form 17x8cm. Signed I first met Ray not long after l started turning at a local club, we just made small talk both being British. Later when l was more experienced l was demonstrating at the Ohio Symposium along with Ray and others. After a long day l really got to know him as we sat and chatted late into the night. He spun yarns of years long gone traveling across America in an old car along with other founding fathers of modern woodturning. I last saw him at the British Woodturning Symposium and was lucky enough to be seated next to him at the demonstrator and volunteer’s dinner after the event. Once again l was treated to his marvellous stories and huge knowledge of turning. He will be sorely missed. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mick Hanbury (UK) spalted beech platter 7x49cm. Signed The first time I met Ray Key was at a show in Derbyshire where I was a rookie demonstrator. I spent a couple of great evenings in the pub listening to the banter between Ray, Bert and Keith. It was an honour to be asked to be involved with the Ray Key Tribute Collaboration. My piece was a part turned platter 19" by 3" of Spalted Beech with striking figuring. However it did have a few cracks and other small imperfections which just added to the challenge. I made a lovely ogee shape on the back of the piece then used gold powder and glue to enhance the cracks and finished with oil. I then turned the front of the platter to match the back. I now had to restrain myself because I am a decorative woodturner and use a lot of colour in my own work. Thinking about Ray and the piece of wood I decided to use Pyrography as I thought it would complement the spalting in the beech. I textured the surface with a pyrography machine on high heat to make a band around the rim of the platter. The band was then finished with a clear lacquer to make a contrast to the rest of the oil finished platter. Overall I am very pleased with the end result and I hope you like it. Ray you were a great ambassador for the woodturning trade and community. You will be missed. I hope I did you proud. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mick O'Donnell (UK) spalted beech split form 13x20cm. Signed I first heard of Ray key early in 1980 then met up with him later that year when I discovered that he really was an enthusiastic, committed and professional wood turner very happy to pass on his expertise and knowledge . I spent two days with him in his workshop and the gallery that his wife liz ran. Over the next few years Ray invited me to demonstrate in a number of woodturning events he organised in the midlands, these were my first steps in demonstrating woodturning lead me into demonstrating around the world . In 1985 we both attended a 'Woodturning Seminar' at the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg Tennessee. This was quite a revelation to both of us. Towards the end of the event we attended a meeting at which the American Association of Wood Turners was formed. On our return Ray thought that we should organise a similar event on the UK. Ray took the lead on this which resulted in a Woodturning seminar in 1987. During the event Ray organised a meeting with the proposal that and association of wood turners should be formed in the UK. This was the formation of the AWGB and Ray was elected chairman. From those small beginnings the AWGB has grown to what it is today under the leadership and guidance of Ray. Ray will be both missed and remembered in the wood turning world. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mike and Laura Hosaluk (Candada) rippled ash decorated bowl 10x14cm. Signed “Birds of a Feather” Ray Key, Mike Hosaluk, Laura Hosaluk 2019 Ash, Acrylic paint. Turned, carved, decorated. This piece signifies how Ray got people together to share our love of woodturning. He was instrumental in uniting a global community to share knowledge, friendship and of course tell stories of our lives; which at times was one sided. We first met at Alberts 10th Symposium in 1981 at New Hope PA. Ray was about to finish the bottom of a platter as a demonstration, when he flipped the lathe on it shot through the air like a Frisbee. I was about 15 feet back, caught it out of the air, handed it back to him, he slammed it back on and proceeded to finish it, like we had practiced the routine! We never forgot each other. He will always be in my heart and anytime I return to England I will hoist a warm beer in his honour. There is one black bird on this bowl, that even in his passing he is still bringing us together. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mike Nish (USA) ash vessel 10x8cm. Signed "I am very fortunate and grateful to be a part of this tribute to Ray Key who has had a long history with my family. Ray was a very close friend of my Grandparents Dale and Norene Nish, and he spent a lot of time here in Provo teaching students at our workshop and was in fact the first instructor we had teach at our facility in 1983. Even though I was just a young kid most of the times he was here, I still remember Ray and Dale joking around and laughing uncontrollably at each other constantly. The piece I turned is an Ash vessel, I tried to keep the shape similar to vessels of Ray's that we have here in our collection. Ray's technique and approach always emphasized the beauty of the wood while focusing on form, tool techniques, and efficiency. I tried my best to embody the way Ray turned to complete this piece in a manner that Ray would be proud." The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Mike Scott (USA) textured and coloured ash hollow form 26x11cm. Signed I first met Ray in the early 80’s and we got to know each other through the formation of the AWGB, where I was one of the founder members and sat on the Committee. We would meet at various members houses, and were happy to put together the very first AWGB Seminar, with overseas presenters, in 1987. After that, Ray and I would meet at Craft Fairs, and eventually at Chelsea Craft Fair, as well as at subsequent AWGB Seminars. I have enjoyed many visits to his home, many hours of interesting conversation, he always had his finger on the ‘pulse’….who was going to be the next ‘star’, what was happening world-wide and so on. He was a mine of information and a source of wisdom. Our last collaboration was when Tony Boase died. Tony was dear friend of mine, and it was mooted to hold a Tribute to him in honour of the folks whose lives he’d touched, and I worked mostly with Ray in putting that together. I’m so happy that the AWGB decided to do a similar project on behalf of Ray, as his influence and inspiration was worldwide. My Tribute piece. I called it ‘Chaos’ – as a reflection of the times we live in, but also representing the connectedness of everything – the hundreds of ‘piercings’ symbolizing the amazing ‘brotherhood’ of turning – wherever you may be in the world – if you meet a ‘woodie’ , you have an instant friend..! It also indicates the extent to which Ray’s influence spread around the world. He is sadly missed…. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Nikos Siragas (Greece) burr maple carved vessel 22x14cm. Signed I first met Ray at the Wembley Woodworking Exhibition in 1996 when I was introduced to him by Stuart Mortimer. He was very sociable and friendly and generally good company. I met him again in 1998 when we were both demonstrating at the Wembley exhibition and we spent time together, Ray being the same open and friendly person that I remembered. Over the years we have met occasionally and I have always admired Ray's ability to balance his production work and artistic work, along with his other interests and responsibilities within the woodturning community. He contributed a great deal to the profession and his elegant work is memorable. He will be sorely missed. Approaching the piece I picked a maple burr that had been shaped on the outside but not hollowed. It had some problems as there was a large crack on one side, other smaller cracks and also soft parts in the burr. But I wanted this solid piece as I planned to turn and carve it so needed plenty of timber for the carved element. I decided to retain the original outer shape and to make a feature of the crack which I deepened and widened. The smaller cracks I left and the soft parts of the wood were treated with many coats of varnish The piece had a decent sized base on it which I chose to turn into three legs. I wanted to keep some part of the lovely spikey burr top and I managed to do this by leaving one part of the top rim of the hollow form natural. Once I had marked out the three feet it seemed obvious to me that I should carve a line from each foot up into the side of the vase, a line that curved up to the top of the vase and incorporated the crack. Working within the limits of the original shape was very interesting and I hope I have done the piece justice. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Art Liestman & Larry Stevenson (Canada) ash hollow form 10x10cm. Signed My first puzzle illusion vessel was chosen for critique (by Ray Key and Jacques Vesery) from among the pieces in the instant gallery at the AAW Symposium in 2001. Luckily, they had nice things to say about it. In particular, Ray commented that he liked the shape of the vessel. I was overwhelmed by their comments and could hardly breathe while they spoke. Later during the symposium, I met Ray and had the first of many nice chats with him. Over the years, I had several meetings with Ray at various symposia. He was always kind and complimentary about my work. I got to know Ray a bit better when he stayed at my house while teaching and demonstrating for my local woodturning club. I treasure our conversations and the times we spent together. For the collaborative piece, I received a partially hollowed vessel. Due to a shoulder injury, I wasn’t able to turn during that time, so my friend Larry Stevenson completed the hollowing and did the final shaping of the bottom. We carefully preserved Ray’s original shape. After it was hollowed, I did the carving and pyrography to complete the puzzle illusion. I’m pleased that our collaboration reflects our original meeting. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Pascal Oudet (France) burr oak textured cone 8x10cm. Not signed I first met Ray in 2006 in Arc et Senans, France, a woodturning congress organized by AFTAB. He was well known for all the memory he had about the woodturning world stories. Once he had started, nothing could stop him. I then saw him again when I demonstrated at Loughborough AWGB seminar. When I received the piece, I loved the wrinkled look of the burl on the outside of the cone. I had no idea what Ray had in mind for the final piece he would do with this shape but I wanted to retain the original outside appearance, his turning and the wrinkled burl which I would have lost if I had returned it. So after thinking about it for a while I found a way to hold this piece on the lathe without touching the outside, and hollowed the inside to have thinner walls. Because the piece was oval from drying, I then worked a bit with rotating tools to refine the inside and follow the outside oval. Finally I sandblasted everything to emphasize the burl pattern. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Paul Hannaby (UK) brazillian tulipwood multi axis hollow form 7x14cm. Signed I first saw Ray demonstrate at the NEC. I was captivated by the ease with which he achieved the shapes so easily. I met Ray at a number of the AWGB seminars and at exhibitions where we both exhibited as members of neighbouring craft guilds. We often had lengthy chats (Ray talked, I listened!) at those events. Later, I had the privilege of working alongside Ray as a volunteer with the AWGB. Ray was always passionate about the AWGB and what it stood for and he was always an advocate for the training programme, particularly the youth training. I have many positive memories of Ray and he will continue to inspire me for as long as I turn wood. The piece I chose for the collaboration was cut to shape and had a hole drilled in preparation for mounting so it was clear what Ray intended to do with it. I used that as a guide and incorporated multi-axis turning to show off the wood to its best. I hope Ray would have approved. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Pepe Lopez Rubio (Spain) coloured and textured hollow form 12x8cm. Signed Luckily, I met Ray Key in August, 2015 at Loughborough University. It was my first time on the AWGB International Woodturning Seminar and he was a really attentive, polite and communicative person and I realize that he transmitted to everyone his passion for woodturning. Unfortunately he left us too soon and I had not the opportunity to be with him more times. His designs and forms have inspired me in several occasions. I am so proud of participate in this Project. The piece has been made of ash Wood, and it has a hollow form. I tried to maintain the form just like Ray Key designed it. I have just hollowed out, given some textures with some details and sandblasted it. Finally, I tinted it with vinegar. Although I usually make this kind of pieces, it was not easy to finish this piece because I had not an margin for error. I could break it and then I would be unable to finish the work, This is the reason I was thinking for long time what to do before I started working on it. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Phil Irons (UK) burr elm and plywood hollow form 11x17cm. Signed I think many of us have started to turn pieces of our favourite wood and found flaws in it or the piece had more rot than initially thought but it’s too good to throw away so we put it in the “I’ll finish that when I’ve got more time” pile. Or am I the only one? I think both these pieces came from Ray’s said pile. I was fortunate to have two pieces of Ray’s work to finish. They are both Burr Elm, a favourite of Ray’s and mine. The first piece was spalted as well as having a lot of woodworm and rot in it, almost half and half, I filled the worm holes with bronze epoxy (powdered bronze in two part epoxy) as a nod to Ray’s early pattern making days. Before the epoxy had properly cured I went over the whole piece with a filament flap brush eroding the soft rot and texturing the the harder areas including the bronze epoxy. I normally put a small flare on the opening of my pieces but I kept the shape as close as possible to how Ray had left it and hollowed it out with a reasonable thickness so as not to go through the eroded areas. The finish is three coats of hardwax oil. The second piece was more of a challenge. For various reasons this was the piece that made me think it was a very early piece of Ray’s work. The fact that it had a good quality Birch plywood glue block plus it had been put on a screw chuck, the shape wasn’t typical of Ray and the fact that it had the bark inclusion in the underside which would have created an unsightly hole. Ray had partly hollowed it but stopped before he got to the bark inclusion because I think he knew it wouldn’t look right. What to do with it? All the time there was Ray in my ear saying “keep it simple stupid”, then I had the idea to invert it. So I glued a piece of Ebony into the opening which also acted as a chuck spigot, then hollowed it through the waste block leaving some of the plywood as a contrasting collar. I had already pyrographed his name onto the Ebony before I glued it in, positioning it so that it faced the natural opening but it didn’t stand out so I gilded it in copper and then 22ct gold leaf. Now with the interior painted matt black your eye is really drawn to to the disc. It was sanded down to 1000 grit before applying four coats of hardwax oil and then reverse turned to remove the chuck spigot. I think he would approve. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Phil Irons (UK) textured burr elm hollow form 17x13cm. Signed I think many of us have started to turn pieces of our favourite wood and found flaws in it or the piece had more rot than initially thought but it’s too good to throw away so we put it in the “I’ll finish that when I’ve got more time” pile. Or am I the only one? I think both these pieces came from Ray’s said pile. I was fortunate to have two pieces of Ray’s work to finish. They are both Burr Elm, a favourite of Ray’s and mine. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn The first piece was spalted as well as having a lot of woodworm and rot in it, almost half and half, I filled the worm holes with bronze epoxy (powdered bronze in two part epoxy) as a nod to Ray’s early pattern making days. Before the epoxy had properly cured I went over the whole piece with a filament flap brush eroding the soft rot and texturing the the harder areas including the bronze epoxy. I normally put a small flare on the opening of my pieces but I kept the shape as close as possible to how Ray had left it and hollowed it out with a reasonable thickness so as not to go through the eroded areas. The finish is three coats of hardwax oil. The second piece was more of a challenge. For various reasons this was the piece that made me think it was a very early piece of Ray’s work. The fact that it had a good quality Birch plywood glue block plus it had been put on a screw chuck, the shape wasn’t typical of Ray and the fact that it had the bark inclusion in the underside which would have created an unsightly hole. Ray had partly hollowed it but stopped before he got to the bark inclusion because I think he knew it wouldn’t look right. What to do with it? All the time there was Ray in my ear saying “keep it simple stupid”, then I had the idea to invert it. So I glued a piece of Ebony into the opening which also acted as a chuck spigot, then hollowed it through the waste block leaving some of the plywood as a contrasting collar. I had already pyrographed his name onto the Ebony before I glued it in, positioning it so that it faced the natural opening but it didn’t stand out so I gilded it in copper and then 22ct gold leaf. Now with the interior painted matt black your eye is really drawn to to the disc. It was sanded down to 1000 grit before applying four coats of hardwax oil and then reverse turned to remove the chuck spigot. I think he would approve. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Richard Kennedy (UK) carved and pierced rippled ash hollow form 14x11cm. Signed I only briefly met Ray Key once, at Wizardry in Wood in 2016. It was a real pleasure to see a display of his work in the flesh, Photographs just don’t do them justice. These pieces had followed me around for many years in the books and magazines that I pored over avidly when I was first starting to turn and indeed subsequently as inspiration and as examples of top quality form and finish. Having the man there himself was an honour and being able to introduce myself and have a chat was a privilege I won’t forget. The piece of rippled ash popped out of the box. The outside cut into the beginnings of that classic vase form that I had seen in photos for years. Turning the piece in my hands I saw a couple of minor marks in the surface and resolved to keep them. Those marks made inadvertently by Ray himself. I liked the connection to him, and in that I knew I had to keep the shape as much as I could I wanted to leave the form his hands created as his, so apart from a tiny amount of truing up to allow me to hollow I left the outside profile alone. I hollowed very carefully. Very. I wanted to graduate the thickness allowing me wood to shape the tree trunk but to taper to the top the top of the form, a real challenge as Ray had created the opening and set a nominal thickness to the top. I needed to thin this without creating a larger opening. Maintaining the vase form I knew so well from photos was imperative but I had to establish a thin enough wall thickness near the top to allow me to pierce. My ultimate aim, to produce a vase that would be instantly recognisable as a Ray Key piece but with the addition of a little something extra to demonstrate that I had had a hand in its production. It was an honour to be asked to work on this project. The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Richard Raffan (Australia) burr oak bowl 4x11cm. Signed I met Ray when he came to my workshop in Topsham in Devon in 1973. We remained in regular contact as our careers developed, having long discussions on design, making, and marketing; this was long before the craft became the popular hobby it is today. Since 1982 I usually saw Ray and Liz when in Britain, relying on Ray to keep me up to date with all the woodturning gossip and the latest in woody fads and tools. And we met regularly at American and European woodturning symposiums. To the Ray Key I knew a split was a defect and not something to be glorified. So I suspect Ray wouldn’t have had the little oak bowl that came my way for completion back on his lathe: far too much messing about for a less-than-perfect result and not much money. I opted to mess about using epoxy mixed with African Blackwood dust to fill the splits, mostly because of the weak rim, but also because there weren’t quite enough splits to create a sieve. I do like bowls to be useable. RR Ray Key has been a ‘big name’ for so long that it’s easy to forget he was well known in the broader crafts community long before woodturning became the aspiring art form it is today. He is known particularly for his boxes and platters. Ray was in the vanguard that in the late 1970s and early 1980s took the craft of woodturning out of hobby sheds and production workshops into galleries, at the same time setting new benchmarks for the design and quality of turned domestic woodware — which was the foundation of his woodturning business. The mastery of his craft came from the solid days spent at the lathe making a living. Ray’s formidable body of work is firmly grounded in the traditions of creating functional bowls and platters and other items designed for daily use. His ability to churn out top quality work without compromising quality of either design or finish flowed on into his less functional pieces. In the late 1970s Ray was one of only four turners listed by the British Crafts Council as a Craftsman of Quality. Ray’s simple tall open vessels were amongst the first pieces of serious decorative art to come off a lathe and into prestigious craft galleries. After I met Ray in 1973 we maintained regular contact both face to face and by phone until I moved to Australia in 1982. Then it was snail mail until we had email. Usually we talked shop (marketing, techniques, teaching, marketing, more marketing) as we caught up with the latest craft and woodturning gossip. Always jovial, Ray was a fountain of knowledge regards turning techniques and the latest fads, and he was always willing to share what he knew, confident he’d always be a step ahead of plagiarists — as he always was, given his innate and particularly good eye for form. RR The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Benoit Averly (France) ash open form 10x18cm. Signed I met Ray in 2005 during my first time demonstrating in the US at the Utah Symposium and we had the chance to meet again a few times over the years. Finishing someone else's work is not an easy task but a fun project however. Here I decided to stick to his shape, finish it and add some texture, which is probably what would have happened if we had collaborated The Ray Key Collaboration Auction
Rolly Munro (New Zealand) ash reconstructed bowl 3x18cm. Signed The piece title "wings" An attempt to conserve Ray's roughed out form while allowing me to play with the internal material /space. I first met Ray while staying at the BnB owned by Nick Davidson and his wife in Milersdale during the early 1990s. He kept me entertained with numerous tales and anecdotes every morning while breakfasting during the open days of Craft Supplies/ Home of woodturning. Looking back it strikes me that was a man of uninhibited generosity of spirit. The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Steve Loar (USA) sycamore and other woods scultural form 21x32cm. Signed My several meetings with Ray were at conferences. He was exactly what I’d always heard about him – warm, gregarious, and genuine. For one of my magazine writing projects, I needed some input from several well-known practitioners. Ray, and Richard Raffan, have always been my choices to exemplify the beautifully simple and utilitarian vein of contemporary woodturning. I posted my letter (before the internet…) with bated breath and received a very kind reply answering all that I needed to know to make my observations for the article. Beginning in 1991, I was the first American wood artist to initiate an artistic practice that drew upon cast-off parts and shards from other woodturning artists – like this project. To this day, I specialize in incorporating components from other artists into my narrative sculptures. My goal in collaboration is to always honor the marks of the maker and then extend them in some fashion that they would not have. At its best, my work is a seamless mingling of the two (or three, or four…) of us. What an engrossing challenge this one was! Having Ray’s spirit with me in the studio as I worked was an added joy. My Tribute Collaboration was intended to be a variation on my “Airflow” sculpture of a year ago. There, I had cut open a distorted, cracked, rejected pot from Christian Burchard to create the sense of an abstracted bird landing. Christian’s work is always quite thin with an interior that gives evidence of masterful control. Ray’s pot was of an unknown, terribly dense wood with a rough interior. But, more to the point of my challenge, it was quite a bit smaller than Airflow. This pot had been made from a 16.5 cm diameter crosscut section of an 18-year-old tree with its pith in the exact center. It also had an unexpected wall thickness that swelled to a thickness that left me astounded that it had not exploded as it dried – yet there was not the slightest crack in the entire piece. This wall thickness and its small size stymied my Airflow concept. So, trusting a hunch, I cut the piece in half. In wanting to evoke a sense of movement, new visual research into flying and landing poses of birds was needed to instigate possible new relationships. I was also committed to creating a composition made entirely of turned components; components that had been transformed into narrative elements rather than being seen as “parts of bowls”. A by-product of my collaborative investigations with reject bowls from the Holland Bowl Mill (Michigan/USA) provided the basis for the bird’s simplified body, as well as, a dramatic landscape reference as an unconventional base. The caps of spheres provided the necessary shoulder junctions between the body and wings. “The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means, and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again, since it is life.” The Ray Key Collaboration Auctionn
Norman Ackroyd CBE, RA (b.1938) ''St Kilda - Stac Lee and Stac an Armin'' Signed and dated 1990, inscribed and numbered 47/90, etching and aquatint, 49cm by 64cm Provenance: Purchased from the artist See illustration Artist's Resale Rights/Droit de Suite may apply to this lot, please refer to our Terms of Business Norman Ackroyd's penchant for depicting inhospitable, remote locations is reminiscent of J.M.W. Turner's desire to render the sublimity of the landscape. Ackroyd first travelled to St Kilda in July 1989, stating of his experience: ''For many years St. Kilda has been an obsession. Previous attempts to make the crossing have foundered on the hostility and unpredictability of the Northern Atlantic. The archipelago, the most isolated and spectacular of all British islands, situated 50 miles west of the Outer Hebrides and 100 miles west of the Scottish mainland is, even today, difficult to access. My recent visits to the extremities and islands of Cork, Kerry and Clare only strengthened my resolve to make the journey. In July of this year, in spite of heavy seas, I finally set sight and foot on the magical land.''
Nael Hanna (b.1959) ''Crail'' Signed, inscribed verso and dated 2011, oil on canvas, 75cm by 100cm Hanna was born in Neneveh, Northern Iraq and is of both Christian Orthodox and Greek heritage. During military service in the Iran-Iraq war he was offered a scholarship to study painting in the UK by the Ministry of Education. In 1987, Hanna was awarded a place at the prestigious Hospitalfield in Arbroath, an arts centre dedicated to contemporary ideas and art, which is believed to be Scotland's first fine art school. From Hospitalfield Hanna's love for Scotland's east coast became deep rooted within his works and his core focus. His colourful, and impactful works depicting an array of east coast scenes have won Hanna a multitude of awards including, first prize at the Dundee 800 Art competition. Artist's Resale Rights/Droit de Suite may apply to this lot, please refer to our Terms of Business See illustration
David Woodlock (1842-1929), Two watercolours on paper, 'The Back Door', and 'Shakespeare Country, Roadside Cottage',Signed lower right and lower left,Each 24.5cm x 17cmEach framed and glazedProvenance: The first purchased from Carole Thomas Fine Arts, June 1988; the second from Vicarage Galleries, October 1996 (2)
David Woodlock (1842-1929), Two watercolours on paper, Lady in a cottage garden and Lady carrying a jug and basket,Signed lower right and lower left,34cm x 24.5cm and 25cm x 16.5cm,Both framed and glazedProvenance: The first purchased from the Alex M Johnson gallery, October 1994; the second from Victoria Fine Art, October 1998 (2)
An Ayres Oxford and Cambridge Lawn Tennis Box 1875/6, the pine box decorated with the light blue and dark blue stripes indicating Cambridge and Oxford respectively, the hinged lid sports a bright label on the inside. Measuring 41 inches x 20 inches x 14 inches, (lacking small end section to the lid) brass carrying handles to the sides. Similar in design to its sister box the Army and Navy Tennis equipment box the label at first site appears to be a single lithograph but there are in fact separate labels. This allowed updates for further editions as the rules were changing rapidly. The central image of a tennis match shows four players on an hourglass court with high poles and nets. To the right the rules show the poles at seven feet and the net at five feet. Rules for doubles and singles also include handicapping. Further to right the contents describe early equipment including India rubber balls. To the left confirmation of the rules from 1875 is accompanied by a diagram of the dimensions showing how to erect the court.Interestingly there are three holes in the bottom of the box, these allow for a press to sit flat and secure.
MILNE (A.A), THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER, first edition, published in 1928, Methuen & Co Ltd, 36 Essex Street, London W C, pink cover with pink tooling, with a second edition 'Now we are six', KIPLING (RUDYARD), THY SERVANT DOG, published 1930, ALDIN (CECIL), Sleeping Partners, published by Eyre and Spottiswoode Ltd and further books etc (12)
David Woodlock (1842-1929), Three watercolours on paper, 'Mussel Gatherers At Leesowe Shore', 'Waiting For The Boats: Staithes', and'A Milk Maid In Mill Street, Warwick',Signed lower right and lower left, with gallery labels verso,24cm x 17cm, 27cm x 17cm and 35cm x 17.5cm,Each framed and glazedProvenance: The first purchased from Images In Watercolour, July 1996; the second from Vicarage Galleries, April 1995; the third from Graham Bentley Watercolours, October 1998 (3)
A Sphairistike Lawn Tennis Box and Contents including three rackets 1874. This standard original first box manufactured by French & Co is smaller than the slightly later 'Extra Large Box' and measures 36 x 12 x 6 inches. The box painted red has a carrying handle through which a rope passes and is knotted behind the holes inside. The lid is secured by hooks and eyes and when open supported by original red cloth straps. The outer label in red and black on gold paper measures approximately 8.5 x 7.5 inches in rectangular form with a domed top reminiscent of photographs of this period in shape. The centre of the label has an illustration of Wingfield's net and to the lower left a pair of crossed rackets and a ball. Sphairistike written in script meaning 'skill in playing ball' from the ancient Greek, together with the term soon widely adopted Lawn Tennis is central. To the outer edges 'The court can be erected in five minutes and need never be taken down, as it is made to stand all weather. The bats however must be brought into the house, as they are liable to damage'. Inventor's Agents. Messrs French & Co, 46 Churton Street, London. The inner white paper label is an advertising list of available equipment and prices in black script, approximately 8 inches square. The royal crest and maker?s details are accompanied by a cash only statement! Listed are sets, shoes, tape measure, seats, bats etc. Amongst the contents are the original red mallet, a net and three rackets. The rackets measure 27 inches in length and 8 inches across the head. Racket one Stamped Henry Malings, Frances Street, Woolwich together with an appointment crest this racket with original gut stringing has one break with four rows of trebling top and bottom. The handle has a three-quarter calf skin grip. In good condition the frame is straight with no warp. This racket weighs 311 grams/10.9 ounces Racket two Stamped Henry Malings, Frances Street, Woolwich together with an appointment crest running vertically. This racket with original gut stringing has one break with four rows of trebling top and bottom. The handle has a black three-quarter calf skin grip. This racket weighs 290 grams/10.2 ounces. To the reverse of the concave wedge written ink is W. Dod. Lottie and Willy Dod were ancestors of the vendor. In good condition the frame is straight with no warp. Racket three Stamped Henry Malings, Frances Street, Woolwich together with an appointment crest this racket with original gut stringing and no breaks with four rows of trebling top and bottom. The handle has a white three-quarter calf skin grip with the original red leather collar. In good condition the frame is straight with no warp. This racket weighs 341 grams/12 ounces. The Rackets ? The rackets supplied for Sphairisike box sets were made by Malings or Jeffries, in symmetrical form like a rackets racket or badminton racket. These three Malings rackets are all similar with a ¾ length grip and vary in weight slightly with a symmetrical head. All three are lighter than later rackets and measure 27? in length and 8? across the width of the head. These dimensions are the same as Sphairistike rackets known to exist today. The rackets have been used and were found with the Spharistike box. Each racket weighs slightly differently from 10 ounces to 12 ounces. In November 1874 Sphairistike rackets changed to a heavier weight and an asymmetric shaped head. We may conclude that these rackets date before the change i.e. prior to November 1874. Although not stamped Sphairisitke we may conclude these rackets were produced during 1874 prior to the shape change. Either slightly different rackets of that period or non-stamped Sphairistike rackets.
A First World War period bronze memorial plaque, named Henry Arthur Ireland Chard, Lance Sgt H.A.I. Chard, served with The 20th Bn Manchester Regiment, died 3rd September 1916 and is commemorated at The Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, nineteen medallions, including; seven silver medallions, mostly relating to Sabre and Foil, a quantity of uniform buttons, ten coins and further cap and other badges and sundry, (qty).
A silver double struck fiddle and thread pattern basting spoon, London 1834, a silver feather edged Old English pattern butter knife, London 1824, combined weight of the first two items 205 gms and plated mostly fiddle and thread pattern flatware, comprising; a soup ladle, a basting spoon, a pair of sauce ladles and also a foreign odd teaspoon, (7).
A collection of mostly British coins, including a 1953 ten coin specimen proof set with a Royal Mint case, four Britians First Decimal Coin sets, three 1953 plastic sets, three 1951 Festival of Britain crowns, with boxes, a quantity of Elizabeth II commemorative crowns, including 1953 and further coins, (qty).
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