Late 8th century BC. A broad hammered bronze belt or cuirass band decorated in chased low relief; the decoration in three horizontal registers, divided by a double line, embossed, the three rectangular bands with stamped figures of leaping lions, gryphons and ibexes with interstitial clusters of bossed pellets and rosettes; to one end a larger panel with pellet border, a standing profile gryphon and a faravahar winged disc; raised bands framing the panels and the whole belt; fastening holes for the leather lining to the edges are visible; mounted on a custom-made display frame. Cf. ?????, C. A., ?????????? VI-V ??. ?? ?. ?. ? ????? ?????????, - ??, 1965; Born H., Seidl U., Schutzwaffen aus Assyrien und Urartu, Sammlung Axel Guttmann IV, Mainz, 1995; Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg, 2003 in Russian. 2 kg, 124cm including frame (49"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from his father's collection formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, and by a metallurgic analytical report, written by Metallurgist Dr. Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, report number 604/131386. The belt-cuirass preserves a decoration substantially identical to one of the belts of the big collection of Caucasian and Urartian items preserved in the Rezan Has Muzesi of Istanbul, representing the same decorative pattern. The Istanbul belt still keeps the fastening ring on one edge, lost in our specimen. Particularly interesting is the presence, in the Istanbul belt, of the same bosses and rosettes dividing the images of lions, ibexes and gryphons. This allows a more certain date for the belt, probably made by the same Urartian workshop. According to Gorelik, by comparison with some armour-belts preserved in the Tokyo museum of Ancient East (2003, pl.LIX, n.3,4,6) showing the same pattern, the date of such belts can arrive until the 7th century BC. Protective belts in the Caucasus were very popular, especially among Urartians. The early samples of such belt armours appeared in Middle East, at the beginning of the first millennium BC, introducing an original fixing system on the waist, instead of the simple ties: a hook was first sewn separately to one end of then belt, and later became part of a massive bronze buckle furnished of a ring, rectangular in shape. Such plaques were attached not only to bronze belts, strengthening them in front, but also to the leather ones, judging by the numerous finds in the graves, where some buckles were found. Later the belt became part of a full panoply, protecting the waist, while scale, lamellar or leather armour protected the main body. The piece of armour with hits magnificent decoration is an outstanding evidence of Urartian drift and honing technique of the highest quality. Caucasian bronze belts are usually richly ornamented, often by punching or embossing, and the degree of decoration increases with the width of the belt. This directly indicates that the increased decorativeness and ideological saturation of the different subjects are directly related to improving the quality of the warriors profane functions, and all together increases its reliability, its protective functions. Therefore, it is impossible to agree with the statement of S. A. Yesayan that the bronze belts were especially destined to a ritual function, and not used in war activities. This magnificent belt originally encircled the waist of a warrior or a nobleman. Covered with an abstract geometry, it was emblem of rank, power and worldly stature. It served as armor of the warrior and was used for the insertion of daggers, knives and grindstone. The ends of the belt were provided with one or two ring holes for the fastening around the waist. Very fine condition, secured in sections. A very beautiful, complete specimen with magnificent decoration.
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8th century BC. A broad hammered bronze belt with three horizontal sequences, the panel decorated in chased low relief with three rectangular bands showing lozenges inside, with dots embossed inside each lozenge; beside this are five decorative registers with horses to the left, and horsemen alternated with horses on the right, followed by geometric motives and a further line of horses; the edges are decorated on the borders by three bands of pearled dots; the triple ribbed dotted border is preceded, on both sides, by triangles and dots horizontally arranged; on the edges are visible the holes for the fastening to the leather lining; on the right side fragments of the attachment of a riveted loop; mounted on a custom-made display frame. This belt-cuirass is similar to a specimen preserved in the Rezan Has Muzesi of Istanbul. The decoration of stylized warriors is similar to a Caucasian belt from Stepanavan, published by Gorelik (2003,pl.LVIII n. 59); also see Born H., Seidl U., Schutzwaffen aus Assyrien und Urartu, Sammlung Axel Guttmann IV, Mainz, 1995; and Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg (2003) in Russian. 3.6 kg, 92 x 46cm (36 1/4 x 18"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from his father's collection formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, and by a metallurgic analytical report, written by Metallurgist Dr. Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, report number 603/131390. This Urartian or Caucasian cuirass-belt is unusual with the embossed rosette decoration. This piece of armour, with its geometric decoration in the form of four three-point bands bordered by triangles, is an outstanding evidence of Urartian drift and honing metalworking technique, and is of the highest quality. This magnificent belt originally encircled the waist of a warrior or a nobleman. Covered with an abstract geometry, it was emblem of rank, power and worldly stature. The borders were originally reinforced with a further bronze lining. It served as armour of the warrior and was used for the insertion of daggers, knives and grindstone. The ends of the belt were rounded and were provided with one or two ring holes for the fastening around the waist. The kingdom of Urartu, originally a confederation of numerous tribes from Eastern Anatolia, was one of the most powerful states in the Ancient Near East during the first half of the first millennium BC, constituting one of the most fierce rivals of the Assyrian Empire. During the 8th century the Urartians clashed with Assyrians and eventually Iranians trying to expand from nowadays Northern Turkey and Armenia, into Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and the Euphrates region, in search of silver, copper and iron ores for their very prolific metal-smithing industry. Their material culture was particularly warlike, and the belts like the specimen illustrated here, were highly ornamentally decorated, and were used in war as body protection and in peace as a symbol of a warrior's rank. The Urartian army consisted of infantry, outstanding cavalry, and powerful chariot units. In combat, warriors wore armour made up of tied bronze plates or iron scales, sewn onto a soft base worn in combination with broad bronze girdles. Tall pointed iron helmets, breastplates, or pectorals, and accompanied with bronze shields or leather targets with bronze bosses, completed their defensive equipment. Fine condition, repaired.
Early 1st millennium BC. A rare hammered bronze shield, slightly convex and still showing good detail; the surface shows a decoration in repoussé, with, beginning from the centre, concentric images of triangles, dotted outlines and dancing warriors or hunters disposed in a circle; after a further line of other dots and triangles the circular surface is interrupted by the four surviving protruding corners (originally eight), each of them decorated with vertically oriented geometrical patterns of dots, triangles and herringbone motives; the disposition of the protruding parts represent the solar disc; the symbolism of the shield represents and is especially and first of all connected with the rays of the sun rays and the heavens; like shields found in Luristan, this one presents an openwork border, and originally having a smaller umbo (boss) at the centre; according to V. I. Abaev the Ossetic wart or according to G. Bailey ?art belong to a large group of words deriving from the ancient Indo-Iranian word var (or war) which means ‘cover’ or ‘protection’; from it also derives the Avestan terms for the designation of the shield v?r??ra?ra, the Ancient-Iranian *vr?dra; in ancient Iran in fact one of the most ancient designation of the shield is v?r???ra (Encyclopaedia Iranica under voice Shield); mounted on a custom-made display frame. This shield finds a good parallel in a similar but complete specimen preserved at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology, and with a specimen of the ex-collection Axel Guttmann (Christie's,2004, cat.41, pp.36-37); a similar round bronze shield, date-able to the 10th century BC, one of the most ancient of the Iranian metal shields, was found in Luristan, this shield, (Melikian-Chirvani, pp. 6-8, fig.2) has like our specimen a skirting along the edge (openwork border), an umbo in the centre, and relief depictions of fantastic creatures; also see H. W. Bailey, '?riana. Dress and Equipment,' in Orientalia Suecana 4, 1955; and V. I; Abaev, Istoriko-ètimologicheski? slovar’ osetinskogo yazyka (Historical-etymological dictionary of the Ossetic language), vol. III, Moscow, 1989; and A. S. Melikian-Chirvani, Iranian Sun Shield, in Bulletin of the Asia Institute, N. S., 6, 1992, 1993; and Christie's, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, part 2, London, 2004; and Moshtagh Khorasani, Manouchehr, Bronze and iron weapons from Luristan, Antiguo Oriente: Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Historia del Antiguo Oriente 7, 2009. 6.6 kg, 97cm including frame; shield: 84cm (38; shield: 33"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from his father's collection formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, and by a metallurgic analytical report, written by Metallurgist Dr. Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, report number 602/131393. The kind of decoration seems to be more ancient than the quoted samples from Missouri University and Guttmann collection. Moreover it is the only known shield showing a procession with human patterns. Although such weapons are generally classified as 'parade' weaponry such a concept was absolutely extraneous to the Ancient World. The rich and noble aristocrats of the Luristan, Elamites, Hurrians, Lullubians, Kutians, and Kassites, went to battle splendidly equipped and used magnificent bronze armours. The art of Luristan can be described as the art of nomadic herdsmen and horsemen with an emphasis on the crafting of small, easily portable objects, among these a great number of bronze weapons. The techniques used for making bronze weapons in Luristan included: casting with open moulds, casting with close moulds, and casting with lost wax process. For metal sheets used for quiver plaques and bronze protective belts or shields, they used the hammering technique (?akošk?ri"). Fair condition, several repairs and museum restorations. Excessively rare, the only known example with a procession of warriors.
9th century AD. A silvered and gilded cast copper-alloy sword belt mount, rectangular in plan and cross-section with reverse face rough-cast with remains of four broken studs or projecting spikes to secure the mount to a scabbard or sword belt; the obverse chip-carved with a complex foliage design around a central vertical bar flanked by two lozenges and two pairs of rosettes, with flanking small equal-arm crosses each within a larger rosette; the central elements of the design covered with thick silver foil or sheet, incised and inlaid with silver wire; above and below the ornamental panel, horizontal raised borders; parcel gilt surface with exposed bronze on the abraded areas. Recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme with registration number HESH-26E9D1; accompanied by a copy of the PAS report. Best Artefact of the Year, winner of the Robin & Karolyn Memorial Trophy Competition 2016, organised by the National Council of Metal Detecting, and published in The Searcher Magazine, 2016, p.4; accompanied by an original illustrated page of the magazine. 22 grams, 36mm (1 1/2"). Found by Mr Graham Allinson in an area of North Wales, near to Offa's Dyke, close to the Dee Estuary and the Wirral peninsula, an area which has significant trade (and possibly settlement) from Ireland and Scandinavia. Prof. Gabor Thomas of Reading University states: 'This mount is undoubtedly one of the most elaborate pieces of Carolingian metalwork which I have seen from Britain. The style and technique suggests that it was probably manufactured somewhere in western Frankia in the first half of the 9th century and probably derives from a sword-belt. Quite how it ended up in this part of Britain must remain a mystery, but Viking activity can't be ruled out.' The mount is one of a small but growing corpus of 8th and 9th Century Carolingian-style mounts recovered from Britain. Several other examples are recorded on the PAS database formed of both silver and base metals - these examples include Cambridgeshire (FAHG-123AB4), Lindsay, Suffolk (SF-E2FFD6), and Torksey, Lincs (DENO-872273"). This example, although mostly composed of base metal, is designed in such a way [as] to convey that it is formed of precious metals (gold and silver"). Thomas (2012) discusses this form of mount (pp. 497-99) describing them as being belt fittings decorated with ninth century Carolingian plant ornament which are dominated with acanthus rosettes. He also notes that an example of these rectangular mounts is present within the Cuerdale hoard, Cheshire. Very fine condition, usage wear. This sword-belt or scabbard mount is noted as being of 'national importance' by the museum and academic world including contributors to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
1st century AD. A military name plaque bearing an inscription 'L . VIBIVS . PRIM . PIL . / LEG . III . AVG' to one face translating to: L(ucius) Vibius prim(us) pil(us) / leg(ionis) III Aug(ustae) ‘Lucius Vibius, chief centurion of the Third Augustan Legion’. The name formula of only first name and family name, but without a third name (cognomen), suggests an early date not later than the first century AD, but not earlier either, as the curve in letter P is fully closed (a form only reached in the first century).The p of pil(us) is slightly malformed, but the reading seems certain; for this abbreviation prim(us) pil(us) see: https://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/edh/inschrift/HD004769 14 grams, 79mm (3"). Property of a European gentleman living in London; acquired on the UK art market. The Third Augustan Legion was stationed in Africa (Numidia), present day Batna in Algeria. The Third Augustan Legion was not only a source of protection for the Roman Empire, but it was also largely responsible for the urbanisation of the North African provinces. The Legion was initially stationed in Ammaedara (modern-day Haïdra) where they built their first military camp. From there they invested part of their time in the construction of roads, beginning expansion. These new connections led to the development of new towns and cities for civilians, camps for the military and even colonies for the veterans. A town founded by Nerva in the 1st century especially for veterans was called Cuicul (now Djémila"). The Legion helped protect this town just as in Thuburbo Majus. The town is located on a hill and the lower part was the original foundation. It was later extended up the hill as more and more commercial activity occurred. At the end of the 1st century there was a forum built which later became known as the North Forum. [No Reserve]Fine condition.
16th-19th century BC. A haematite cylinder seal with a king with a mace facing a suppliant goddess Lama in a flounced robe, with a horned cap and with necklace counterweight; behind whom is a bearded god, also in a flounced robe who is also seated, facing left and holding a wedge at its lower end; the throne consists of a crouching human figure whose head and bent arms form the seat; between Lama and the king, with a mace are (from top to bottom) a crescent moon, a fish, and a small Nude goddess, between the king with a mace and the seated god are two fishes; an inscription of three lines: 1: I-bi-Še-rum „Ibbi-Š?rum, 2: DUMU ÌR-ÌŠTAR son of Warad-Ištar, 3: ÌR ?NIN.SI4.AN.NA servant of Ninsianna.“ Ibbi-Š?rum = „God Š?rum has called (=named) (him).“ This Old Babylonian personal name is on this seal the first evidence for the OB Onomastikon, since the god Š?rum comes on second place in names so far only: Ibni-Š?rum, Ikuppi-Š?rum, Il?-Š?rum, ?ill?-Š?rum, Šer-Š?rum, Namram-Š?rum, Ur-Š?rum. Š?rum = the deified morning star. Warad-Ištar = „Servant of the goddess Ištar (goddess of love and war)“. Ninsianna = one of the names of Inanna (= Ištar), which designates her aspect as the planet Venus, the morning and evening star. For this picture cf. Collon, Dominique Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum. Cylinder Seals III: Isin-Larsa and Old Babylonian Periods, London, 1986, seals no.107 and 109. 13.9 grams, 27mm (1"). Property of a Middlesex collector; acquired on the London art market before 2000; formerly in an old English collection. Fine condition.
Ur III, King Shu-sin, 1972-1964 BC. A green and purple jasper cylinder seal with two columns of cuneiform text 'priest of temple of Der is your servant', scene depicting a tree and seated figure in flounced robe with horned crown facing a similar figure stand, horned serpent between, third robed figure to the rear. See Collon, D. First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East, London, 2005 for discussion. 22 grams, 31mm (1 1/4"). From an important London collection formed before 1980. Fine condition, chipped. Rare and important.
19th-18th century BC. A chert cylinder seal with two scenes that determine the picture: on the left a standing naked bearded man, facing left, fighting with an unrepresented spear against a rampant lion; between the two figures a squatting monkey; the ribs of the fighter, the mane of the lion and of the monkey are stylised as thick parallel bead rods; eye, mouth and nose of the beast form, reduced to the essentials, an ingenious unit; on the right two antithetically crossing lions in the same style; very embossed and 'plastic' representation; this seal could be the first specimen of a hitherto unknown style from an outlying province of Anatolia. Cf. for this the notch style on Cilician seals from the same period: Porada, E. and Collon, D. CWAS. Cylinder Seals IV. The Second Millennium BC Beyond Babylon, London, 2016, pl.4. 4.04 grams, 20mm (3/4"). From a private collection of seals and amulets, the property of a Canadian gentleman living in London; from his father's collection formed in the late 1960s to 1980s. Fine condition.
9th-6th century BC. A carnelian cylinder seal with bearded figure, wearing a fringed robe with a double v-shaped neckline and a pointed hat, sitting on a stool with braided side surfaces, facing right; holding his right arm at waist level,holding a vessel(?) in his left outstretched arm; before him stands two bearded men in long robes, the first one leaving the left shoulder free, the second one with a triple v-shaped neckline; the front man raising his right hand in worship, the rear holds in his right hand a kind of scepter, on top ending in three points; between the man on the stool and the worshipper are a capride looking back to left over its shoulder and above a winged disc(?); behind the man on the stool three big stars as a scene separator. Cf. Collon, D. CWAS. Cylinder Seals V. Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Periods, London, 2001, pl.IX-XI. 4.80 grams, 22mm (1"). From a private collection of seals and amulets, the property of a Canadian gentleman living in London; from his father's collection formed in the late 1960s to 1980s. Fine condition.
A rare and interesting WWI First World War medal group. All awarded to a ' Lieutenant C. P. Weyman '. Comprising: Order Of The Star Of Romania, Victory Medal, War Medal and 1914-15 Star (blank to verso). All with original ribbons, all mounted on bar. Along with the original miniature medals also present.
A rare antique WWI First World War period half block model of a French Floating Ironclad Battery ship ' Le Majestie '. Finely carved, depicting the ship with twin masts and central funnel, with guns mounted fore and aft. Small brass plaque to the centre of the frame reads ' Le Majestie '. Rare. Measures approx; 36cm x 67cm.
A 1953 Coronation omnibus Including a first day cover, with a number of Commonwealth examples, 1937 Coronation omnibus, excluding Newfoundland and Virgin Isles, 1949 75th anniversary of UPU mint collection - incomplete, 1945 Victory omnibus - mint excluding Basutoland, Bechuanaland, South Africa and Swaziland
* BRUCE TIPPETT (BRITISH 1933 - 2017), LANDSCAPE WITH REEDS charcoal on paper, signed and dated 14.03.58 42cm x 53cm Mounted, framed and under glass. Artist labels verso. Note: Bruce Tippett was a British born artist who was championed by Philip Granville (Lord's Gallery, London) and the legendary Betty Parsons (Betty Parsons Gallery, New York) and others. Jane England writes in her 1992 catalogue : "[In 1957], he […] saw Japanese brush paintings for the first time at the British Museum [which now houses nine Bruce Tippett drawings]. He recalls now that 'Something awoke in me and I entered another realm'. The works of the Japanese calligraphers inspired him by their mixture of spontaneity and contemplation. Like the Zen masters, Tippett achieved spontaneity by constantly paring down the image and concentrating on its essential spirit, with no sign of the struggle involved. When Tippett first saw a work by Hartung at Gimpel Fils in May 1958, he was struck by the similarities of their respective calligraphic styles. These similarities had different origins. In Tippett's case the energetic strokes and lines came from his early drawings of reeds and stakes in marsh landscapes and the studies he had made of building structures, whereas Hartung's expressive calligraphy came from his early experiments with automatism." Alan Bowness pointed out in his "Portrait of the Artist" (1958) that "having made the first steps on his own Tippett realized that the calligraphic paintings of Hartung pointed in the direction he wished to go […] but by the end of 1957 Tippett had reached something that was recognizably an original manner, and the drawings done then and at the beginning of this year have a remarkable ease and assurance." After Peggy Guggenheim closed her Art of This Century gallery in 1947, Parsons was one of only a very few gallery owners to promote avant-garde American art at a time when the commercial demand for it was minuscule. The Betty Parsons Gallery was also, for a considerable time, the only gallery in the US which promoted and supported Abstract Expressionism. Parsons played a major and significant role in establishing New York as the centre of the art world and Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, William Congdon, Clyfford Still, Theodorus Stamos, Ellsworth Kelly, Hedda Sterne, Forrest Bess, Michael Loew, Lyman Kipp, Judith Godwin, Tony Smith, Robert Rauschenberg, Barnett Newman and many other artists owed much to Betty Parsons. Bruce Tippett first visited New York in 1965 when Dorothy Miller bought one of his paintings for MOMA. He met Parsons at the Venice Biennale in 1966 and immediately afterwards she visited his studio in Rome and bought several paintings and drawings for her gallery. Bruce Tippett exhibited regularly at The Betty Parsons Gallery from 1967 and had his last solo show there in 1981, the year before Betty died. Bruce Tippett continued to exhibit in the US and the UK and even more frequently in Italy and France. He died in France in 2017, where he had lived and worked since 2005. His work is held in some of the most important collections in the US and Europe including The Louvre (Paris), The British Museum (London), Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (Rome) and MOMA (New York), yet in his country of birth, his work remains relatively unknown.
* GORDON K MITCHELL RSA RSW RGI (SCOTTISH b 1952), CATALONIAN ROMANCE oil on canvas, signed 100cm x 85cm (approx 40 x 33 inches) Framed. Label verso: Roger Billcliffe (Gallery), 134 Blythswood Street, Glasgow. Note: A major solo show of Gordon K Mitchell's work is currently being staged by the prestigious Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow (26th April - 28th May) where paintings of this size are priced at approximately £10,000. Prizes and Awards include: Borders Biennial Exhibition; First Prize, City Arts Centre, Open Exhibition; First Prize, Educational Institute for Scotland; Purchase Prize, Glasgow Mayfest Award, Royal Scottish Academy Award; First Prize, Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour; William Gillies Award, Scottish Drawing Competition, Paisley; Second Prize, Royal Scottish Academy; J. Murray Thompson Award, Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen; Arts Club Prize, Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen; Whyte & Mackay Award, Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen; Scottish Provident Award, Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen; Dunfermline Building Society Prize, Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen; SSWA Special Award.Solo Exhibitions : Dorothy Quinn Gallery, St. Andrews, Henderson Gallery, Edinburgh, Old City Art Gallery, Jerusalem, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh (biannually since 1992), Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow (biannually since 1993), Atholl Gallery, Dunkeld (1993) Albemarle Gallery (biannually since 1997). Represented in Group Exhibitions in the United Kingdom, including:Allan Park Gallery, Stirling, Atholl Gallery, Dunkeld, Borders Biennial Exhibition, City Arts Centre, Edinburgh, Contemporary British Art Show, London, Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Fine Art Society Galleries, Glasgow, Gracefield Art Centre, Dumfries, Hilton Hotel, Hong Kong, John Martin of London, Kirkcaldy Art Gallery, Mall Galleries, London, Morrison Scottish Portrait ExhibitionOpen Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, Paisley Art Institute, Portland Gallery, London, Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh, Roger Billcliffe Fine Art, Glasgow, Royal Glasgow Institute, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour, Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh, Scottish Arts Council Gallery, Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Society of Scottish ArtistsSociety of Scottish Artists and Artist Craftsmen, Stirling Gallery, Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh Group Exhibitions held abroad: Through the `Old City Gallery` Jerusalem, paintings have been included in group exhibitions in Israel, Australia, Canada, U.S.A. and Sweden. Blue and White Gallery, Jerusalem, Contemporary Scottish Art 1994, Hilton Hotel, Hong Kong Collections:Works held in a great many private and public collections, including; Alliance & Leicester Building Society, Edinburgh Distillers Co. Ltd, Edinburgh College of Art, Educational Institute for Scotland, Johnny Walker Whisky Co, Kansas City Art Institute, Macfarlane Group Plc, National Westminster Bank, Paisley Art Institute, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Brewers Limited, Slottseal Forthside Limited, The Knesset, Israel, University of Edinburgh, Welcome Inns, Whyte & Mackay Group.
* BET LOW RSW ARSA RGI DLITT (SCOTTISH 1924 - 2007), UNTITLED gouache, signed in pencil 37cm x 49cm Mounted, framed and under glass. Note: There has been a distinct resurgence of interest in the work of Bet Low in recent years which was signposted with the £2200 achieved for lot 1701 McTear's 05.10.2014 "Hillside, Evening" which at the time, was the highest price achieved at auction for any work by Bet Low. Born in Gourock, Bet Low grew up by the Clyde Estuary in poor circumstances, influenced by the stark contrast between Glasgow's industrial areas and the surrounding Scottish countryside. Low married, and later divorced, the painter Tom MacDonald. With her family, she regularly visited Hoy in Orkney, where the light and landscape provided fresh inspiration for her work. Low studied at the Glasgow School of Art during the Second World War, and continued her studies at Hospitalfield House under James Cowie, who stimulated her lifelong interest in literature, philosophy and politics. Following the war, Low was a co-founder of the Clyde Group, part of the New Scottish Group of writers and artists. Low’s early figurative work was influenced by German Expressionism, and frequently depicted post-war Glasgow settings, characters, and refugees. Low also worked in illustration and theatrical set design at the Glasgow Unity Theatre, and created her first set design for Ena Lamont Stewart's "Men Should Weep". By the 1960s, Low had moved on to the more abstract work for which she is now best known.
* PETER HOWSON OBE (SCOTTISH b 1958), THE CRUCIFIXION oil on canvas, signed 182.9cm x 121.9cm (72 x 48 inches) Framed. Provenance: Lot 165 Christie's London 16th April 2008 where sold for £19,700 (premium) and acquired by a lady, the current vendor. Literature: Robert Heller, Peter Howson , Edinburgh, 2003, p. 151, illustrated. Note: The painting depicts the model Elaine Johnson. In discussing the present work Howson stated,'I was actually captivated by her as a model. She's probably the perfect model for me. I did many drawings and quite a few paintings'. 'One of them - yet again - landed Howson in the soup of controversy. He painted Elaine nude, crucified on the cross. He recognizes this was 'a pornographic, almost a blasphemous painting' - though he considers it a good one. The late Cardinal Winning, no stranger to controversy himself, was unimpressed and shocked, calling the work 'evil'. At the time, Howson was unmoved by the criticism. (R.Heller, Peter Howson , Edinburgh, 2003, p. 150). The Crucifixion was painted in 1999, only a few years after Howson returned from Bosnia having experienced the horrors of war. His subsequent hugely successful exhibition at The Imperial War Museum re-defined war art as Howson depicted graphic scenes with honest and disturbingly brutal reality. Perhaps his most controversial work from Bosnia was " Croatian and Muslim " in which two Croatian men were violently raping a Muslim woman. The setting was a domestic home, not a battlefield and there are no guns or obvious paraphernalia of war. The two vulgar figures committing the rape are not obviously soldiers and they certainly aren't obviously of any specific nationality or religion and nor is the female victim. If this painting had been untitled and never shown as part of the Bosnia exhibition at the IWM, there's no real evidence that it has anything to do with war. However Howson deliberately titles the piece, "Croatian and Muslim" not "Soldiers and Victim" or anything similarly vague but specifically with the two words which he knows will define the work. Had he wished to be even more confrontational, he might have titled it "Christian and Muslim", for there can be little doubt that in his mind, religion, war and the suffering of the innocent are the key themes of this work. Although hung for the IWM exhibition, the institution declined to acquire the painting for their permanent collection. This exclusion caused uproar and a considerable polarisation of opinion. Many argued that validity of the painting was compromised as the work had been produced based on oral accounts rather than an actual witnessed event. Others challenged the museum’s decision arguing that Croatian and Muslim had been rejected because of its graphic imagery and politically provocative nature. This uncomfortable and public situation was resolved when David Bowie chose to purchase the painting. Speaking in the New York Times at the time Bowie described it as ‘the most evocative and devastating painting’. It was reported that Bowie paid a mere £18,000 for the painting which was resold as lot 209 11th November 2016 Sotheby's London for £173,000 (premium). Not for the first time, Howson returned to the themes of religion and the suffering of the innocent with The Crucifixion in 1999. Despite the artist's reported remarks, it's very difficult to fathom how this work even partially fulfils the literal definition of "pornographic". The stark nakedness may be uncomfortable for some, but this painting is surely about suffering and especially the suffering of women. It was no great surprise to learn that the purchaser of this painting in 2008 (and the current vendor) is a woman. In every respect, The Crucifixion is Howson-max. It is powerful, thought provoking and controversial.
* JANET KENYON (BRITISH b 1959), NELSON'S COLUMN (LONDON) watercolour on paper, signed 51cm x 71cm Mounted, framed and under glass. Note: Janet Kenyon is the multi-award winning watercolour artist who has gained an enviable reputation for her innovative use of watercolour and is now widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading watercolour artists. Over the course of her career, Janet has received an impressive number of accolades, including winner of the Sunday Times/Smith & Williamson Cityscape Prize twice , first in 2009 for her painting titled: Northern lights, Blackpool and most recently in 2016 for her painting titled: Gridlock (Manhattan) The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition is the largest and most prestigious showcase of contemporary watercolour painting in the UK. Born and brought up in Bolton, Lancashire in 1959. In 1975 she studied for two years at Bolton College of Art & Design. In 1977 she moved away from Bolton to study at Leeds Polytechnic and later gained a B.A. Hons. in Graphic Design. It was here she began to experiment in watercolour and ever since as continued to push the boundaries of this very difficult medium. For Janet it’s the capturing of natural & artificial light, in her paintings, and the way it interacts with the landscape, alongside the unexpected perspective and sense of space, that ignites her imagination. Janet’s highly individual and distinctive landscapes have been exhibited in many leading galleries including the Mall Galleries, London, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh and The Lowry Gallery, Salford and can also be found in corporate and private collections throughout the UK and abroad.
* WILLIAM JOHNSTONE OBE (SCOTTISH 1897 - 1981), ABSTRACT I ink on paper, signed 77cm x 56cm Framed and under glass. Note: William Johnstone was at the forefront of the British art world throughout the twentieth century. He became one of the first British artists to break with representation and paint purely abstract pictures; he also had evolutionary impact on art education. He was Principal at Camberwell College of Art from 1938- 1946 and then Principal at Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1947 to 1960. He developed the Basic Design course which stemmed from the Bauhaus and his instinct to defy convention and his eye for talented staff made Central a tour de force. Alan Davie, Anton Ehrenzweig, Patrick Heron, Earl Haig, John Minton, Eduardo Paolozzi, Victor Pasmore, Gordon Baldwin, William Turnbull all worked for him – which made for an explosive, creative mixture of artistic personalities. He received an OBE for his contribution to art education in 1954 then returned home to the Borders in 1960 to concentrate on painting and return to farming.
THREE DRESDEN PORCELAIN FIGURAL GROUPS, the first comprising a standing couple, the second of a couple at a piano with the lady playing and the third of a lady seated on a chaise lounge with a dog, all on bases decorated with scrolling motifs highlighted in gilt and signed. 19.5 cm high (the tallest) (3)
A collection of books by May Sarton, some first editions and some signed by the author, to include Plant Dreaming Deep, 1968, Shadow of a Man, 1951, A Shower of Summer Days, 1954, The Bridge of Years, 1946, The Fur Person, 1957, I Knew a Phoenix, 1964, Joanna and Ulysses, 1964 and As We Are Now, 1973. May Sarton was an American author and poet. These books are a collection belonging to a relative, and many were sent as gifts with inscriptions. The lot includes letters relating to the estate of May Sarton
An unusual early 19th century 8-day longcase clock, the mahogany case having Gothic and Scottish styling influences, arched top hood with eagle and ball finials, turned columns flanking the opening glazed door, the trunk having Gothic top 3/4 length opening door, flame mahogany panel with banding in lighter veneers, unusual applied half round columns, fluted spear-point finials and architectural roundels, the base having lighter cross-banded frame to match the door, supported on turned and stepped feet, dial is very colourful having four seasons to the corners and a country scene to the arch, indistinctly signed, the 8-day bell striking movement is mounted directly to the dial with no falseplate, approx. 220cm tall.Estimate £300 to £500Notes: A documented history is with the clock starting from 1836 (probably less than 20 years after the clock would have been made, they could have been the first owners) with successive generations of the Carr family of Camperdown, Northumberland. Whilst the name on the dial does not appear to be Carr, there was a Joseph Carr listed as clockmaker (Loomes) in Hexham, about 25 miles from Camperdown. He died in 1775 (too early for this clock) however it is possible that there was a familial connection between them. This lot MUST be paid for and collected, or delivery arranged, no later than close of business on Tuesday. Please do not bid if you are unable to comply
Nils Johnsson for Troeds large 1960s teak sideboard made in Sweden which consists of two sliding doors, four drawers and a pull down door 253cm long 78cm high 43cm wide sideboard is in a very good condition. Sliding doors function and there is a key for the end door. Minor surface scratches to top but not noticeable at first glance. Stamped to inside. Some light scratches to bottom of sliding door consistent with use. No signs of damages or restorations
Moorcroft vase, decorated in the Woodside farm design, signed Anji Davenport dated 1999 52cm high with original box This is a first, there are no marks to signify a second. There are no damages or restorations to this piece. No crazing noted on the vase.Excellent condition throughout, no damages or repairs to report
20th Century Chinese vase, baluster form decorated with figures and a dragon in relief. Incised seal mark to base. 21.5cm high The vase is in good condition. There are no noted damages or restorations. All figures intact with no chips. The two figures in green to either side appear to have been added after first firing. Line to the outside of neck appears to be from the firing
STAMPS : BRITISH COMMONWEALTH, QV to QEII mint & used in three stockbooks with sets, singles & thematic items spotted. One book has a duplicated range of useful Irish material with GV opts & higher values with St Patrick 10/- & first "e" wmk defins to 1/- mint. Lot also includes a few French Colonies. (100s)
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