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Click here to subscribeWhitefriars amber glass bowl with internal bubbles, a Webb Corbett cut glass conical shaped decanter, a mid century Libbey-style smoky glass pitcher, a blue art glass vase, a Webb Corbett cut glass vase, a modern cut glass rectangular dish, a cut glass bowl, an Hour Glass wine glass commemorating the marriage of Charles and Diana, a late 19th/early 20th century peach coloured glass vase with etched floral decoration, vintage marbles etc.
digitally signed by the artist, from the unnumbered edition of 1000, published by the Imperial War Museum, London, accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticityoffset lithograph on Arco wovesheet size: 50 by 70cm; 58 by 78,5 by 3,5cm including framing Coined “the most powerful artist in the world” by ArtReview editors (Stevens 2012), Beijing-born Ai Weiwei creates works where art and activism collide in a riot of politically charged, daring performances and spectacles. Ai Weiwei’s output is prolific and diverse, ranging from sculptural installations, to videos, to architectural projects, in an attempt to critique the random importance placed on objects and symbols within society and the arbitrariness of certain cultural values. Many of the important cultural symbols Ai Weiwei uses particularly reference his critique of the Chinese sociopolitical system, using scabrous satire to challenge and critique the authoritarian and conformist Chinese regime. In 1957, just months after the artist was born, his father and renowned poet, Ai Qing, was accused of being ‘rightist’ by Beijing officials and the entire family was exiled to remote parts of China. Later, after studying art abroad, Ai Weiwei returned to China to develop his artistic practice. His time in New York was particularly pivotal, as he was influenced by the conceptual art of artists like Andy Warhol, so upon his return home, Ai Weiwei knew how to combine art and life. The artist’s Dada-inspired ready-mades and strong satirical elements reveal an unrelenting and brave advocacy for freedom of expression and social justice, presenting a provocative and subversive dimension that few, if any, other artists present to the world. Ai Weiwei’s themes of social urgency and his attempt to address critical global conditions, namely political conflict and war, are brilliantly illustrated in History of Bombs (Lot 527). This lot is a framable print of the site-specific life-size renderings of over 50 bombs and grenades from 1911 to 2019, which stretched across the floor of the Imperial War Museum. The work unflinchingly illustrates “a history of the clever ways we kill one another” (Jones 2020). The technical, encyclopaedic collection of renderings highlights the chilling and incalculable destruction caused by human willingness and eagerness to dedicate innovation to violence. The exhibition was appropriately located, since the “murderous arsenal since the early 20th century” seemed unbelievable, until the visitor looked up and was confronted with models of the real weapons hanging from the museum’s ceiling. In this way, Ai Weiwei’s comments about the human condition are simultaneously unflinching, scabrous, and provocative. Ai Weiwei has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2009); Tate Modern, London (2010); and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC (2012). The Centre Pompidou, Paris, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art have also acquired his work.- A.C Cunningham, JM. 2022. Ai Weiwei, Chinese activist and artist, Britannica [O]: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ai-Weiwei Accessed 8th May 2022Jones, J. 2020. Ai Weiwei: History of Bombs review – high-impact reminder of our insatiable desire for destruction, The Guardian [O]: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jul/29/ai-weiwei-history-of-bombs-review-imperial-war-museum Accessed 8 May 2022Stevens, M. 2012. Is Ai Weiwei China’s Most Dangerous Man?, Smithsonian Magazine [O]: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-ai-weiwei-chinas-most-dangerous-man-17989316/ Accessed 8th May 2022
R.K. Esq, (Robert Kenmore?): The Curious Modern Traveller. Being Some late and particular Observations on the greatest CURIOSITIES and ANTIQUITIES in most Parts of the World. Especially in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, and The Holy-Land. GIVING A faithful Account of whatever is Remarkable both in the Works of ART and NATURE worthy the Observation of the most curious. WITH Geographical and historical Account of each different Nation, their Religion, Habits, Customs and Ceremonies &c. ALSO, An Account of Several wonderful Animals, Serpents, Birds &c Intersperse'd with many entertaining Stories of each Particular. Embelish'd with Copper Plate Cuts. London: Printed by A. M'Culloh, for J. Wakelin, and W. Norris, 1745, full leather binding foolscap 8vo. (1) With four plates (one incomplete).Missing pages 191-194.
FRANCIS, JULIAN: TOM CHADWICK AND THE GROSVENOR SCHOOL OF MODERN ART published by The Fleece Press, Upper Denby, 2012, half cloth binding with pictorial boards and slip case, sold together with two other Fleece publications of wood engravings -The Great Storm of October 1987 and Ethelbert White's Wood Engravings, both with slip cases
MARGARET MORRIS (BRITISH 1891-1980) HEAD OF GIRL Watercolour, 13 x 12cm (5 x 4.75") 'The Art of Margaret Morris Exhibition April 1984, CAT.no.13' and title inscribed to Cyril Gerber Fine Art label verso, Margaret Morris Movement Limited stamp Margaret Morris was an artist, dancer, choreographer and teacher. She pioneered modern dance in Britain, founding the Margaret Morris Movement, Scottish National Ballet and the Celtic Ballet. Morris was an accomplished artist, and shared her passions with her husband, distinguished Scottish Colourist, John Duncan Fergusson. Condition Report:Crease across lower third of paper, small crease to upper left of paper, some mild foxing and marks throughout, predominately upper left and on the cheek and neck of figure, pigment seems to have no significant issues.
JOHN HOUSTON OBE RSA (1930-2008) SEA EDGE, SUMMER Oil on canvas, signed lower left, 49 x 60cm (19.25 x 23.5") 'Purchased in 1979' inscribed, titled and signed verso Born in Fife, Houston studied at The Edinburgh College of Art, and went on to marry significant female artist, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder. In 2005, Houston was honoured with a major retrospective at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in 2005, showcasing his vibrant, expressive artworks which are some of the most distinctive Scottish works of the Post War period. Numerous key galleries and collections represent Houston?s oils and watercolours, including Glasgow Print Studios. Condition Report:Available upon request
JIM LAMBIE (SCOTTISH b.1964) YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND A MEMORY, 2005 Mixed media, 40 x 58cm (15.75 x 22.75") Signed and inscribed in silver marker by the artist's hand verso Contemporary visual artist, Jim Lambie, graduated from the Glasgow School of Art, and he lives and works as an artist, DJ and musician in Glasgow. In 2005, he was shortlisted for Turner Prize with his installation, Mental Oyster. Lambie?s work is loaded with metaphorical, ironic and music references which explore pop culture. In 2021, Lambie had a solo show at Modern Institute, Glasgow, titled Buttercup. Condition Report:Available upon request
HARRINGTON MANN R.P., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1864-1937) STUDY OF CATHLEEN MANN Signed, oil on canvasboard(41cm x 30.5cm (16in x 12in))Mann's daughter Cathleen was born in Newcastle in 1896. She was taught by her father, his friend the artist Ethel Walker and trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Cathleen became an established artist in her own right and was elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. Following her 1926 marriage to Francis Archibald Kelhead Douglas, the eleventh Marquess of Queesberry, she became unwillingly known as the 'Painting Peeress' (see ed. Alice Strang, Modern Scottish Women: Painters and Sculptors 1885-1965, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2015, exh. cat., p. 76).
◆ ANCELL STRONACH (SCOTTISH 1901-1981) WHERE SINKS THE VOICE OF MUSIC INTO SILENCE Signed and dated 1924, oil on canvas(127cm x 102cm (50in x 40in))Provenance: Purchased from the Fine Art Society by John W. D. Thomson in 1980, and thence by descent. Exhibited: The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts, 1924 ‘Ten Years of The Fine Art Society in Glasgow’ exhibition, 1989Note: Ancell Stronach is generally an unfamiliar name, even to Scottish Art enthusiasts, but in his day he was a significant figure in the Scottish art scene. Born in Dundee, he trained at the Glasgow School of Art, winning many awards and a travelling scholarship. Following his studies he worked professionally as an artist, designing stained glass, painting murals, decorating churches and establishing a reputation as a portrait artist. Alongside his own painting he also taught, rising to the position of Professor of Mural Painting at Glasgow School of Art. He was elected a member of the R.S.A. in 1934, and exhibited internationally at the R.S.A., R.A., Paris Salon and in exhibitions in Canada, New Zealand and America; all the markers of a significant and accomplished career. Where Sinks the Voice of Music Into Silence is bold and decorative, with the vibrant colour and ecclesiastical details that were the signature of his painting at this time. Stronach pulls detail, poetry and inspiration together masterfully in this work, with areas of rich, flat colour interspersed with delicate patterning and design. Close attention reveals a wealth of considered detail, such as the tendrils of the male figure’s beard, the curling waves at the bottom-left corner and the snow-topped hills in the distance. The composition is accomplished: the delicate angelic wings are centred in the canvas, with the figures placed in a ‘V’ around them, maintaining balance and visual interest as every inch of canvas is utilised. The result is a richly rewarding viewing experience. Stronach’s poetic title does little to reveal the meaning or moment that this work depicts, but it nevertheless further evokes the atmosphere that the painting itself conveys. The feeling is symbolic and meaningful with a sense of mysticism, creativity and spirituality. Artistically, Stronach was inspired by early Italian fresco painters and the Pre-Raphaelites, though his commitment to mural painting and stained glass design also shines through in this significant work. His chosen style and subject reflects the wider Celtic Revival movement prevalent in Scotland’s arts scene at the time, which is also visible in the work of contemporaneous artists such as John Duncan and Phoebe Anna Traquair. The Celtic Revival and the Pre-Raphaelites were concerned with looking to a distant past for inspiration and Stronach strives for that here. The melding of historic and modern lends the painting an essential timelessness in its beauty. At the outbreak of war in 1939, Stronach felt his opportunities as an artist were greatly reduced by the extenuating circumstances and took the opportunity to change direction, pursuing a long-standing interest in animals and the circus. He married a professional acrobat and they toured together with his show, entitled ‘Ancell and his 40 Painted Pigeons.’ He did not engage with the art world for the remainder of his life, though it is believed he continued to paint for personal pleasure. It is for this reason that his name remains relatively unknown, and the appearance of his works on the market is rare; ultimately his professional painting career only lasted for a very limited period, despite his talent and success. Where Sinks the Voice of Music into Silence was first exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts in 1924. More recently it was purchased by the current vendor’s late husband at the Fine Art Society in 1980. The vendor remembers the dramatic moment of seeing this work for the first time, and the immediate decision to purchase. In the forty years since, it has hung in just two locations, his architectural practice in the West End of Glasgow and their home in Stirlingshire. A rare opportunity now presents itself for this rich, dramatic and decorative work to find a new home.
§ DOROTHY JOHNSTONE A.R.S.A (SCOTTISH 1892-1980) THE BLACK HAT Signed and dated 1913, oil on canvas(67cm x 75cm (26.25in x 29.5in))This is a rare and significant work by Dorothy Johnstone. Having been one of the first students at the newly-established Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), Johnstone began exhibiting at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 1912, followed by the Royal Glasgow Institute in 1913 and at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1915. She focussed on figure painting, often on a sizeable scale and with sitters presented against a muted, plain background. In recognition of her readily-achieved professional standing and due to the mobilisation of male staff following the outbreak of World War One, Johnstone began teaching at ECA in 1914. The studio facilities she enjoyed there, plus the stimulus provided by her students meant that her work developed apace. She spent most summers between 1915 and 1924 in Kirkcudbright, often staying in one of Jessie M. King's cottages, and became a key figure in the town's art circles. Meanwhile, in 1919 Johnstone joined the re-convened exhibiting society, the Edinburgh Group, whose members included Cecile Walton, Eric Robertson and David Macbeth Sutherland. A joint exhibition with Walton in 1924 led to the artists being described as 'two brilliant daughters of Scotland' (Jessica Walker Stephens, 'Cecile Walton and Dorothy Johnstone', The Studio, Vol. 79, 1924, p. 80 quoted in ed. Alice Strang, Modern Scottish Women: Painters and Sculptors 1885-1965, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2015, p. 60). However, Johnstone's wedding to her ECA colleague Sutherland that year meant she had to resign her from her job, as the 'Marriage Bar' legislation prevented married women from holding full-time teaching positions. With the birth of her children and her husband's appointment as Head of Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen, Johnstone's career lost momentum. She continued to paint as domestic responsibilites permitted and was elected an Associate Member of the RSA in 1962. Her death in 1980 was marked by a Memorial Exhibition mounted at Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1983.
§ ANNE REDPATH O.B.E., R.S.A., A.R.A., L.L.D., A.R.W.S., R.O.I., R.B.A. (SCOTTISH 1895-1965) WHITE Signed, oil on board(51cm x 61cm (20in x 24in))Provenance: Duncan Miller Fine Arts, LondonIn 1961, the Scottish poet George Bruce visited Redpath at her home in Edinburgh in order to interview her for the BBC. He recalled: ‘When filming began, one of her milking stools, which she had just painted as a gift to one of her grandchildren, stood, by chance or intention, beside a cyclamen in a pot – the one a simple artefact made to last, brightly coloured with a flowing design painted by herself, the other a pale delicate flowering cyclamen, the white flowers changing to deepening tones at their centres. Both and all were Anne Redpath.’ (George Bruce, Modern Scottish Painters: Anne Redpath, Edinburgh University Press, 1974, p. 61.). The present painting is related to another of the same title, dated to 1962, which was purchased by Aberdeen Art Gallery in 1964 (accession number ABDAG003027).
§ SIR ROBIN PHILIPSON R.A., P.R.S.A., F.R.S.A., R.S.W., R.G.I., D.Litt., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH Signed, oil on board(16cm x 21.5cm (625in x 8.5in))Exhibited: The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Festival Exhibition, 1955 Scottish Arts Council, Robin Philipson, no.4 Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Robin Philipson 1916-1992, 1999, no.17 Note: This painting dates from c.1954. From the collection of the late Dr Angus Gibson, to be sold to support the University of Edinburgh Art Collection
NO RESERVE Modern art.- Regler (Gustav) Wolfgang Paalen, one of 1050 copies, frontispiece and plates, illustrations, cracked hinges, original cloth, slight bumping to corners, New York, 1946 § Diet Sayler, full-page illustrations, original boards, dust-jacket, slight creasing to edges, Nürnberg, 2000 § Bevan (Tony) Self-Portraits, signed and dated by author, frontispiece, illustrations, many full-page, original cloth-backed boards, 2011; and others similar, including several Arts Council exhibition pamphlets, v.s. (c.30)
Searle (Ronald, 1920-2011). The Mourners Mourned from Souls in Torment, circa 1953, pen and black ink and wash over pencil, depicting a smiling man in a coffin, mourners sitting around him, signed in blue ink to lower right with 'sketch for cartoon', 20.3 x 15.8 cm (8 x 6 1/4 ins) mount aperture, framed and glazed (39.4 x 33.7 cm)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Rosebery's London, Fine Art featuring Modern & Contemporary Sculpture, Pictures, Works of Art & Clocks, Antique Furniture & Rugs, Day two, 29 March 2017, lot 813
Searle (Ronald, 1920-2011). 'The Stalls', circa 1952, pen, brown and black ink, depicting men and women in their finery sitting in the first three rows of a theatre, signed in ink lower right, 'The Stalls' in pencil to lower left, 16.8 x 28.8 cm (6 5/8 x 11 1/4 ins) mount aperture, framed and glazed (36.5 x 47.2 cm), Abbott & Holder label to versoQTY: (1)NOTE:Illustrated in Punch, in their theatre feature, c.1952, also illustrated in An Experience of Critics and The Approach to Dramatic Criticism by Christopher Fry, London: Perpetua, 1952, p.33.Provenance: Rosebery's London, Fine Art featuring Fine European Ceramics, Modern Sculpture & Furniture, 28th June 2017, lot 1260.
Suba (Susanne, 1913-2012). A collection of original drawings for works by Emily Eden, 13 pen & ink drawings, comprising 8 with grisaille watercolour on card, for 'The Semi-Attached Couple' by Emily Eden, and a cover design on tracing paper for the same book (edge-frayed), and 4 pen & ink drawings with black crayon on paper, for 'The Semi-Detached House' by Emily Eden, all signed, 1 or 2 faint creases, 10 approximately 39.5 x 29 cm, others smaller, together with a copy of the 1947 edition of The Semi-Attached Couple for which the first suite of drawings were drawn, published Cambridge: The Riverside Press, original cloth, 8vo QTY: (14)NOTE:Hungarian-born artist Susanne Suba began studying art with her father, Miklos, an architect and painter. She lived most of her life in the US, where she became a book illustrator, designer of dust jackets and caricaturist. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Brooklyn Museum.
Waugh (Evelyn). Decline and Fall. An Illustrated Novelette, 1st edition, 1st issue, London: Chapman & Hall, 1928, frontispiece and 5 plates by the author, a little light spotting, contemporary ownership inscription to front endpaper "Carl Winter, 1928, Coll Exon. Oxon.", original cloth, spine slightly rubbed at ends, in dustwrapper, pale toning to spine, a few chips and nicks at folds (generally a very good copy)QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Carl Winter (1906-1966), art historian and museum curator, who worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum before moving to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge in 1946, at which time he also became a Fellow of Trinity College. Together with Patrick Trevor-Roper and Peter Wildeblood, Carl Winter gave evidence to the Wolfenden Committee, whose report led to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967. Winter's evidence was given anonymously as 'Mr White'. His testimony was portrayed in the BBC television dramatisation Consenting Adults.Connolly, The Modern Movement, 58. First edition, first issue of the author's first novel with the names "Martin Gaythorn-Brodie" and "Kevin Saunderson" unchanged on pages 168-69.The author's first novel, with his own illustrations, in the dust jacket also designed by him. After the book was rejected for indecency by Duckworth (the publisher of his earlier biography of Rossetti), Waugh offered the manuscript to Chapman & Hall, but he did so while his father, who was the managing director of the firm, was away on holiday. The acting-director agreed to publish the novel and Arthur Waugh returned to London to discover that his son was his firm's newest author. When Arthur Waugh's biography was published three years later, however, Decline and Fall and Vile Bodies, the two novels published under his directorship of Chapman & Hall, were not mentioned.
Two pairs of Kandya Ltd. Jason chairs designed by Carl Jacobs: a pair in natural bentwood with white painted legs and applied Kandya label to their undersides; a pair of ebonised examples with conforming squab cushions. (Comparable chairs are illustrated on p.24 of 'British Art and Design 1845-1962' (Fine Art Society) and pp. 80-83 'Modern British Furniture Design since 1945' (Lesley Jackson))
A bijouterie group of six:a heavy and thick glaze art glass vase of bluster form and with etched signature to underside (20cm high x 19.25cm diameter); a modern Art Deco-style angular glass scent bottle; a pair of modern amethyst-coloured tall cylindrical glass vases (21.5cm); a decorative polished marble ornamental egg;a modern brass candle-holder and cover with tripod base.Condition Report: Generally good original condition with some scratches noted on the green art glass vase (top of the lip) and also to the underside of the foot. Very minor scratching to some parts of vase outer. Some minor discolouration to inside of vase which appears to clean off.
An Art Deco silver caster, domed cover with bud finial, plain body with stepped lower section, on circular foot, hallmarked by William Suckling Ltd., Birmingham, 1940 and a Modern Chinese style napkin ring, with floral decoration, hallmarked Chester, 1965, 3.98 ozt (122.3 grams) (2) together plated salts, spoons and button hook
Hasui Kawase (Japanese, 1883-1957). Modern Japanese shin-hanga woodblock print titled "Temple," depicting groups of figures walking through the doorways of a temple. Marked in the plate along the lower right with Kawase's seal. With further Japanese inscriptions to the left margin. A later English inscription to the upper right corner reads "Hasui - 4012 -1." Inkstamped to the lower edge of the verso "Original Works of Art."Height: 15 1/2 in x width: 10 1/2 in.
Patek Philippe. An extremely fine and very rare 18K gold keyless wind open face minute repeating perpetual calendar pocket watch with moon phase and 24 hour indicationReference: 962/1J-001Date: Purchased January 2001Movement: 29-jewel Swiss lever, Cotes de Genève finish, free-sprung microstella balance, two polished hammers striking on two gongs, adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism & 5 positions, Stamp of Geneva, No.866595Dial: Brushed silvered, applied gold Arabic numeral hour markers, outer minute divisions, subsidiary dials at 3, 6, 9 and 12 for month combined with leap year, date combined with seconds, day combined with 24 hour indication and moon phase, gold baton hands, No.866595Case: Heavy polished round hinged, repeat slide in the band at 9, quick set buttons at 1 and 2, exhibition cuvette, No.2837635Signed: Case, dial & movement Size: 52mm Accompaniments: Patek Philippe box, Certificate of Origin, Patek Philippe pouchFootnotes:As the wristwatch market dominated the sales from watch manufacturers the production of pocket watches dwindled to almost nothing. In recent history when watch manufacturers do produce pocket watches it is with one main objective - to demonstrate their depth of expertise and to really celebrate the rich history of complications that can be added to a watch. It means a fine modern pocket watch is not only a rarity but when someone like Patek Philippe decides to make one it will be spectacular. Patek Philippe have produced some of the finest ultra complicated watches in history with fantastic examples on either side of the introduction of computer aided design. From the Henry Graves super complication to the more recent extraordinary Calibre 89 and Star Calibre - each decade reaches a new height in their ability to produce such fantastic timepieces whilst expressing the real 'Art of Watchmaking', using their artisans expertise and ability to produce each part to the highest of standards The Reference 962 is no exception to this and is a piece made for the absolute connoisseur of watchmaking. The rarity of this watch cannot be understated and it is imperative to really appreciate just how much time is needed to complete the movement, dial and case of a watch that only Patek Philippe can attain with this extreme level of complication. Our research indicates that so far only one other Ref:960 has been seen on offer at auction before. The present piece is in exceptional condition and offers one of the rarest opportunities to own a piece of Patek Philippe history - one that may never come up for sale again.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
MICHAEL GOSSCHALK: TURQUOISE AND DIAMOND-SET FLOWER BROOCH, 1960The textured flower, with stamen set with oval turquoise cabochons surrounding a brilliant-cut diamond, the stem accented with a brilliant-cut diamond, mounted in 18 carat gold, maker's mark MG, London hallmark, length 7.0cmFootnotes:In 1957, Michael Gosschalk, once a successful stone merchant, established his first jewellery shop at 20 Motcomb Street in London. Princess Margaret became a client and Gosschalk was one of only seven independent jewellers whose designs featured in her collection. Gosschalk's wife, the society milliner, Jenny Fischer, operated a few doors down at 16 Motcomb Street and made a number of hats for some of Princess Margaret's wedding guests in 1960.The Gosschalk family lived above Jenny's shop at number 16. Michael Gosschalk catered to a younger set of clients than their more conservative counterparts who purchased on Bond Street. As Elizabeth Benn noted in a 1961 article for the Daily Telegraph, A Change from Bond Street Glitter, 'Kutchinsky and Michael Gosschalk probably make the nearest thing we have to modern jewellery in this country.' The publicity of Gosschalk's glamourous clientele prompted an armed raid on his shop in Knightsbridge and the Gosschalks relocated to Monaco shortly afterwards, opening a jewellery shop in Monte Carlo in 1965.For further reading see: Wingfield, M.A., 'Modern British Jewellery Designers 1960-1980: A Collector's Guide', ACC Art Books (Woodbridge, 2021), p. 74-75.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Three Good Quality Hardback Reference Books by Leon and Hiroko Kapp and Yoshindo Yoshihara - The Craft of the Japanese Sword, The Art of the Japanese Sword - the Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation, and Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths; also, six other reference works - The Samurai Sword by John M Yumoto, Cutting Edge - Japanese Swords in the British Museum by Victor Harris, Japanese Swords by Nobuo Ogasawara, Swords and Daggers by Frederick Wilkinson, Swords and Hilt Weapons by various authors, Militaria Antiques and their Values handbook, with a Sotheby's catalogue of the Peter Hawkins Collection of Japanese Sword Fittings (10)
A Compton Pottery The Potters' Art Guild terracotta planter designed by Mary Seton Watts, rectangular section, cast to the front with a reclining cherub, unsigned, 18cm. high, 22.5cm. wide Literature Veronica Franklin Gould, Archibald Knox & Mary Seton Watts Modern Celtic Art Garden Pottery, page 48 this window box illustrated and dated to 1903-1904.
A Hugh Birkett walnut wine table, dated 1997, square section with panelled sides and hinged panelled flat top, internally fitted with bottle rack and a tray, on castors, signed HB and dated 1997 to underside of top, 45.5cm square, 52cm. high Provenance Geoffrey H.Alpe thence by descent. Design and Modern British and Post War Art, Mallam's 23rd May 2019, lot 252 Private collection. Catalogue notes This wine table was made to a special commission for Geoffrey Alpe (1908-2008), former Managing Director of Parker Knoll. It is thought only two of this design were made.
Italian. A large collection of modern Italian language history & art reference books, including Roma Nel Seicento, by Cesare D'Onofrio, 1st edition, Rome: Vallecchi, 1969, folio, Marmora Romana, by Raniero Gnoli, Rome: Edizioni Dell' Elefante, 1971, folio, Vicenza Illustrata, edited by Neri Pozza, Vicenza, 1976, folio, La Sapienza Dei Nostri Padri..., Vicenza: Accademia Olimpica, 2002, 8vo, many original cloth in dust jackets, some paperback editions, G/VG, 8vo/folioQTY: (6 shelves )
Boyd (Kelly [editor]). Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing, 2 volumes, 1st edition, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1999, original uniform boards, large 4to, together with;Howard (Deborah), Venice & The East, 1st edition, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, large 4to, plusSchmidt (Victor M.), Italian Panel Painting of the Duecento and Trecento [studies in the history of art 61...Symposium Papers XXXVIII], 1st edition, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, large 4to, and other modern scholarly history reference books, including publications by the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, California, Johns Hopkins, Illinois, Princeton, mostly original cloth in dust jackets, some paperback editions, G/VG, 8vo/4toQTY: (3 shelves )
Cork (Richard). Vorticism and Abstract Art in the First Machine Age, 2 volumes, 1st editions, London/Berkeley: Gordon Fraser /University of California Press, 1975-76 (respectively), numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original uniform cloth in dust jackets, volume 2 dust jacket price-clipped, covers lightly marked, folio, together with;Petrova (Yeugenia), Abstraction in Russia XX Century, 1st edition, St. Petersburg: Palace Editions, 2001, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket & slipcase, folio, plus Von Vegesack (Alexander), Czech Cubism, architecture, furniture, and decorative arts 1910-1925, Montréal: Laurence King, 1992, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, large 8vo, and Petrova (Evgeniya et al), Malevich, Artist and Theoretician, Paris: Flammarion, 1990, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, folio, plus other Russian & European modern art reference books, many original cloth in dust jackets, some paperbacks, G/VG, 8vo/folioQTY: (3 shelves )
Goldberg (Norman L.). John Crome the Elder, text and a critical catalogue, 2 volumes, 1st edition, Oxford: Phaidon Press, 1978, numerous monochrome illustrations, original uniform cloth in dust jackets, covers lightly toned, large 8vo, together with;Walton (Paul), Master Drawings by John Ruskin, 1st edition, London: Pilkington Press, 2000, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, 4to, plusLister (Raymond), Catalogue Rainné of the Works of Samuel Palmer, 1st edition, Cambridge: University Press, 1988, numerous monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, large 8vo, and other modern 19th-century art books, including publications by Antique Collectors' Club, & the Universities of Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, some original cloth in dust jackets, some paperback editions, G/VG, 8vo/folioQTY: (3 shelves )
Lawrence (John). The Clergy-Man's Recreation: shewing, the Pleasure and Profit of the Art of Garden, three parts in one, 5th edition, London: printed for Bernard Lintott, 1717, [The Gentleman's Recreation, 2nd edition,1717 & the Ladie's recreation by Charles Evelyn, 1st edition, 1717], 6 engraved plates consisting of frontispiece to each part and three folding plates, a few marks, first part with some marginal stains towards front, contemporary paneled calf, marked and somewhat worn, 8vo, together with[Whately, Thomas]. Observations on Modern Gardening, illustrated by descriptions 4th edition, London: T. Payne & Son., 1777, pale water stain to lower outer edges, contemporary speckled calf, rubbed and some wear to joints and edges, plusCulley (George). Observations on Live Stock, containing hints for choosing and improving the best breeds of the most useful kinds of domestic animals, 1st edition, London: G. G. J. & J. Robinson, 1786, water staining to front and rear of volume, errata at end, contemporary half calf gilt-decorated spine, andTaylor (Samuel). Angling in all its Branches, reduced to a complete science: being the result of more than forty years real practice and strict observation throughout the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, 1st edition, London: T. W. Longman and O. Rees, 1800, contemporary sheep with morocco label to spine, scuffed and some wear, plus other antiquarian interest, mostly natural history, but including Peter Walsch, Four Letters on several subjects, to persons of quality. The fourth being an answer to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln book, Entituled, popery, &c., 1686, W. Henry, Arthur & Alfred E. Hill, Antonio Stratavari, His Life and Work (1644-1677), 2nd edition, 1909, etc. QTY: (24)
Browne (Alexander). Ars Pictoria; Or an Academy Treating of Drawing, Painting, Limning and Etching, 1st edition, London: J. Redmayne, 1669, engraved portrait frontispiece, 30 engraved plates (complete), mostly by Arnold de Jode, small library stamp to title and lower outer corner of each plate, verso of title with manuscript library number, light damp stain to gutter margin of title and lower margins of initial few leaves, some light spotting, minor marginal tears and dust-soiling, front free endpaper with early signature Wm. Beauchamp and later signature of William Goddaire dated 1827 (repair to upper outer corner), modern calf-backed cloth, library blind-stamp to upper board, joints rubbed and scuffed, folioQTY: (1)NOTE:Wing B5097.Alexander Browne (d. 1706) was a miniature painter and auctioneer and one of the first publishers of mezzotints. He was variously a 'practitioner of the art of limning' (although none of his paintings or miniatures survives or can be identified); a drawing master (to Mrs Pepys among others); a colourman; the author of drawing manuals (the first in 1660) and of a treatise on art (Ars Pictoria, 1669); an art auctioneer (conducting sales later at his own premises in Gerrard Street, Soho), and a print publisher and printseller. His shop at 'ye Blew Balcony' in Little Queen Street near Lincolns Inn Fields would have contained quantities of prints, books and artists' materials. After Browne died in 1706 his widow quickly sold his collections at auction.
Massé (H. J. L. J.). The Art-Workers' Guild 1884-1934, Oxford: Shakespeare Head Press, 1935, black & white frontispiece, portrait illusttrations, original publisher's blue cloth, boards lightly water damaged, spine slightly faded & rubbed to foot, 4to, together with Dowling (Henry G.). A Survey of British Industial Arts, 1st edition, Benfleet: F. Lewis, 1935, 100 monochrome plates, some minor spotting & toning, original publisher's red cloth, large 4to, plus Greenwood (Martin). The Designs of William de Morgan (A Catalogue), 1st edition, Ilminster: Richard Dennis and Wiliam E Wiltshire III, 1989, numerous colour & black & white illustrations, original cloth in dustwrapper, folio, VG, and other interior design & decoration reference, including William Morris, edited by Linda Parry, London: Philip Wilson, 1996, original cloth in dust jacket, large 4to, Christopher Dresser, The People's Designer 1834-1904, by Harry Lyons, 2005, Lewis Foreman Day (1845-1910), Unity in Design and Industry, by Joan Maria Hansen, 2007, W. A. S. Benson, Arts and Crafts Luminary of Modern Design, edited by Ian Hamerton, 2005, all Antique Collectors' Club publications, original cloth in dust jackets, 4to, VG, and others similarQTY: (approximately 80 )
Rhys (Ernest). Sir Frederic Leighton Bart., P.R.A., An Illustrated Chronicle, with prefatory Essay by F. G. Stephens, 1st edition, London: George Bell and Sons, 1895, photogravure and monochrome plates and illustrations, top edge gilt, remainder rough-trimmed, original white cloth gilt, some soiling and light discolouration, 4to, together with Baldry (Alfred Lys). Albert Moore, His Life and Works, 1st edition, London: George Bell & Sons, 1894, monochrome photogravure plates, several lithographic reproductions, and other illustrations, upper inner hinge cracked, original straw yellow cloth gilt, very lightly rubbed in original publishers cloth-backed book box (somewhat worn), large 4to, plus Bemrose (William). The Life and Works of Joseph Wright, A.R.A., commonly called 'Wright of Derby', 1st edition, London: Bemrose & Sons, 1885, two etchings by Seymour Hayden after Joseph Wright, monochrome plates and illustrations, original pale red cloth gilt, rubbed and marked with some fraying to head of upper joint, folio, limited signed edition, no. 149 from an unspecified total, signed by the publishers, folio, plus others similar including A. L. Baldry, Hubert von Herkomer, 1901, A. G. Temple, The Art of Painting in the Queen's Reign, 1897, Wilfrid Meynell, editor, Some Modern Artists and their Work, 1883, etc., mostly original cloth, 4toQTY: (15)
Michel (Walter). Wyndham Lewis, Paintings and Drawings, 1st edition, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1971, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, some light marginal toning, original coth in dust jacket, large 4to, together with;Thames and Hudson, Victor Pasmore, with a catalogue raisonné of the paintings, constructions and graphics 1926-1979, 1st edition, London, 1980, numerous colour & monochrome illstrations, original cloth in dust jackets, covers lightly rubbed, folio, plus,Cory, Adams & Mackay, Gaudier-Brzeska, Drawings and Sculpture, 1st edition, London, 1965, numerous monochrome illustrations, some minor marginal toning, original cloth in dust jacket, covers lightly marked, large 4to, andIngleby (Richard et al), C. R. W. Nevinson, The Twentieth Century, 1st edition, London: Merrell Holberton, 1999, numerous colour & monochrome illustrations, original cloth in dust jacket, large 4to, plus other modern British & European art reference books, some original cloth in dust jackets, some paperback editions, 8vo/folioQTY: (Approximately 85 )
Curtis (Tony, editor). Following Petra, A Celebration of Seventy Years of the Contemporary Art Society for Wales, Gregynog Press for the Contemporary Art Society for Wales, 2008, colour and monochrome illustrations, original quarter red morocco gilt in matching slipcase, 4to vg, limited edition of 200 copies, this being number XXII of 60 copies in quarter leather, together with Cawley (A. C. [editor]). Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, New York: Limited Editions Club, 1971, monochrome illustrations by Cyril Satorsky. publishers original cloth in slipcase, folio, limited edition 1079/1500, plus Hughes (Richard). The Innocent Voyage, New York: Heritage Press, 1944, colour lithographs by Lynd Ward, publishers original boards in slipcase, boards slightly marked, 8vo, and other modern illustrated & private press literature, including Fernand Severin, Poemes, Paris: Pierre Bricage, 1951, Primer Viaje de Cristóbal Colón segun su diario de a bordo..., Barcelona: Amigos del Libro, 1944, illustrations by Antonio Ollé Y Pinell, and others similar QTY: (Approximately 30)
Renaissance embroidery; Spain, first half of the 16th century."Saint John, Saint Andrew and Saint Augustine".Damage and losses.Measurements: 135 x 22 cm.The creation of embroidery has always been an art associated with femininity, the work of nuns, these pieces of exceptional technique used as ornamentation have been valued and revalued in recent decades. This piece depicts three saints: St. John, St. Andrew and St. Augustine. The Gospels say that John the Baptist was the son of the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth, cousin of the Virgin Mary. He retired at a very young age to the desert of Judea to lead an ascetic life and preach penance, and recognised in Jesus, who was baptised by him, the Messiah announced by the prophets. A year after Christ's baptism, in the year 29, John was arrested and imprisoned by the tetrarch of Galilee, Herod Antias, whose marriage to Herodias, his niece and sister-in-law, he had dared to censure. Finally, St. John was beheaded, and his head given to Salome as a reward for his beautiful dances. This saint appears in Christian art in two different guises: as a child, a playmate of Jesus, and as an adult, an ascetic preacher. The adult Saint John depicted here is dressed in Eastern art in a camel-skin sackcloth, which in the West was replaced by a sheepskin that leaves his arms, legs and part of his torso bare. The red cloak he wears at times, as well as in the scene of his intercession at the Last Judgement, alludes to his martyrdom. In Byzantine art he is depicted as a large-winged angel, with his severed head on a tray held in his hands. However, his attributes in Western art are very different. The most frequent is a lamb, which alludes to Jesus Christ, and he often carries a cross of reeds with a phylactery with the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei".Aan Andrew is presented with the attribute of his martyrdom, the cross in the form of a cross on which he was tied by order of the proconsul Aegeas. The luminosity of the work, the predominance of blue tones and the peace that emanates from the bearded face, with its soft meditative features, form a peaceful image that shows us a saint who has already overcome pain and rests eternally beyond sacrifice. Andrew was the first apostle called by Jesus, which is why he was called by the Greeks Protokletos, "the first called". Brother of Simon Peter and, like him, a fisherman from Galilee, his name is Greek and not Hebrew, and means virile. He is mentioned twice in the Gospels: in connection with the vocations of the first two apostles, and in the episode of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. His legend comes from the Apocryphal Acts, according to which he was appointed, after the death of Jesus, to evangelise Scythia, i.e. modern-day Russia. While preaching there, an angel appeared to him and said "Go to Matthew"; he was then miraculously guided to Ethiopia, where St Matthew had been blinded and imprisoned. The prison doors opened before Andrew, and he began to pray in front of Matthew, after which the prisoner regained his sight. His mission accomplished, he went to Greece and then to Asia Minor, where he reportedly performed a series of miracles. He finally met his death at Patras in the Peloponnese, where the proconsul Aegeas had him flogged with rods for preaching disobedience to the emperor, and then ordered him to be tied with ropes to a cross in the shape of an "X", where he died on the third day. The most popular attribute of Saint Andrew is precisely this cross, although until the 15th century he is most often depicted crucified on a normal cross.St. Augustine of Hippo (Tagaste, 254, Hippo Reggius, 430) was a doctor of the Catholic Church, known, among other things and for his writings, for a legend: the saint is said to have walked along the seashore, thinking about the Trinity.
STATUETTE DE BOUDDHA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE INCRUSTÉ D'ARGENTVALLÉE DE SWAT, VIIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4833 10.5 cm (4 1/8 in.) highFootnotes:A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF BUDDHA SWAT VALLEY, 7TH CENTURY 斯瓦特 七世紀 銅錯銀佛陀像 Published: Arman Neven, Sculpture des Indes, Brussels, 1978, p. 72, no. 30. Ulrich von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p.70, pl. 3E. Jan van Alphen, Cast for Eternity, Antwerp, 2003, pp. 70-1, no. 14. Exhibited: Sculpture des Indes, Société Générale de Banque, Brussels, 8 December 1978 - 31 January 1979.Cast for Eternity, Antwerp Ethnographic Museum, Belgium, 12 April 2005 - 26 June 2005. Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s The bronze-caster has skillfully conveyed the Buddha's enlightened consciousness with a compassionate expression illumined by silver-inlaid eyes and urna. The iconography of the Seated Buddha raising his right hand in the gesture of reassurance (abhaya mudra) is rather unusual for sculptures of the Swat Valley, most of which depict him extending his right hand in the gesture of charity (varada mudra) instead. The iconography derives from earlier Gandharan sculptures (see for example, a 6th-century Gandharan standing Buddha at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1981.188a,b), suggesting that the present work is likely among earlier sculptures created in the Swat Valley around the 7th century. In the 5th century, the Swat Valley, located in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains in modern-day Pakistan, served as a refuge for Buddhist practitioners, as Huns raided the monasteries scattered throughout ancient Gandhara's lush plains. Buddhist bronzes from the Swat Valley therefore constitute an important artistic and religious link between the former civilization of Gandhara, the Gupta period of Northern India, and the rising states of Kashmir, Gilgit, and Western Tibet. Here, the pronounced parallel folds of Buddha's robe are clearly inspired by the Gandharan style, which was in turn influenced by Hellenistic traditions. On the other hand, his pronounced eyes, fleshy cheeks, incised long eyebrows, and small hair curls are all congruent with the Gupta idiom. While, the thick, V-shaped pleats around his neck are commonly seen in later Kashmiri bronzes. Several stylistic features of the present sculpture are consistent with other early Swat Valley images attributed to the 7th century. The treatment of Buddha's robe, using parallel folds to emphasize volume while revealing supple musculature around the chest, is closely related to two other 7th-century bronzes – one formerly in the Lahiri Collection (Christie's, New York, 14 March 2016, lot 44), the other in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Pal, Bronzes of Kashmir, 1975, pp. 88-9, no. 20). The three bronzes also share the same facial and lotus petal types. The distinctive, tightly-waisted lotus base, with artichoke-shaped petals covering the lower half and a plain, conical upper half, compares closely to another Swat Buddha at the Harvard Art Museums (1989.57). Also see other Swat bronzes made during the 7th-8th centuries published in von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Vol. 1, 2001, pp. 32-3, nos. 2A-E.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUE DE MAITREYA EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVREVALLÉE DE SWAT, CIRCA VIIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4861 19.8 cm (7 3/4 in.) high Footnotes:A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF MAITREYA SWAT VALLEY, CIRCA 7TH CENTURY 斯瓦特 約七世紀 彌勒菩薩銅像 Published: Arman Neven, Sculpture de Indes, Brussels, 1978, p. 73, no. 31. Ulrich von Schroder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p. 92, no. 10A. Jan van Alphen, Cast for Eternity, Antwerp, 2003, p. 73, no. 15. Exhibited: Sculpture des Indes, Société Générale de Banque, Brussels, 8 December 1978 - 31 January 1979. Cast for Eternity, Antwerp Ethnographic Museum, Belgium, 12 April 2005 - 26 June 2005. Provenance: With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s One of Claude de Marteau's prized possessions for over forty years, this important and handsome Maitreya figure exhibits some of the finer characteristics of sculpture from the Swat Valley, inviting comparison with a well-known and highly regarded Maitreya in the British Museum (Pal, Bronzes of Kashmir, 1975, pp. 200-1; von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, no. 11D). Both figures sit regally on a lion throne, holding an emblematic flask (kamandalu) between long, delicate fingers. The confidence and skill of the creator of the present sculpture are clear from the inherent vitality possessed by the youthful figure, whose torso is muscular and supple, as sumptuous as the lotus base's swollen petals. The verdant valley of Swat, located in modern-day Pakistan, fell within the cultural boundaries of Ancient Gandhara's Buddhist civilization. Hundreds of monastic sites were established in Swat before the 2nd century CE. Secluded within the lush foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains, Swat later served as a crucial bastion for Buddhism as political and economic stability diminished in Gandhara Proper due to the dissolution of the Kushan Empire and recurring Hun raids. As a result, a small but exciting school of Buddhist sculpture flourished in Swat between the 6th and 10th centuries, incorporating artistic elements from the various empires that controlled portions of the broader region over time. The intriguing cosmopolitan aesthetic of Swat bronzes is reflected in this Maitreya. While much of the Gandharan taste for Greco-Roman realism is lost, the long hair, commanding posture, and pleated vestiture still arguably harken back to some of Gandharan art's key idioms. Meanwhile, the Swat craftsman responsible for this bronze probably drew extensively from the art of the Gupta period (4th-6th century), considered the Golden Age of Indian art, which here informed the fleshy physiognomy, large-beaded necklace, bare chest, floral-medallion armbands, slender waist, lightweight lower garment, and broad unfurling lotus petals. These features are represented in Gupta sandstone sculptures of Avalokiteshvara in the National Museum, New Delhi (Pal, The Ideal Image, 1978, p. 20, fig. 4), and Vishnu in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (17.1015). Remarkably, the origins of the strips of cloth hanging from his crown behind the ears can be traced to the Sasanian Empire (3rd-7th century; see Pal, The Ideal Image, 1978, p. 117).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUE D'ATLAS SOUS FORME D'HERCULE EN SCHISTE GRISANCIENNE RÉGION DU GANDHARA, II/IIIE SIÈCLE 51 cm (20 1/8 in.) high Footnotes:A SCHIST ATLAS FIGURE IN THE FORM OF HERCULES ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND/3RD CENTURY 犍陀羅 二/三世紀 片岩赫拉克利斯形象之阿特拉斯像 Published: Mario Bussagli, L'Arte del Gandhara, Torino, 1984, p. 55. Isao Kurita, Gandharan Art, Vol. II, Tokyo, 1990, p. 155, fig. 448. Provenance: With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s Fewer subjects convey the intriguing Greco-Roman legacy in ancient Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan) more clearly than such Atlas figures lining the bases of its Buddhist stupas. Epitomized by this superlative example, the bearded face, dramatic expression, athleticism, and male nudity nod unmistakably to Classical aesthetic ideals. In Greek mythology, Atlas fought on the side of the Titans against the Olympian gods, lost, and was condemned to support the spherical vault of the heavens for eternity. His myth inspired a leitmotif in Greek and Roman architecture of figures upholding architectural superstructures. During a period of heightened contact with the Mediterranean world, the figure of Atlas was adopted in Gandhara. Repeated images of composite Atlas-like figures surrounded the base of stupas, whose solid domes can be understood as symbols for the sky. With the skin of the Nemean lion worn as a cape over his head and shoulders, the imagery of this distinctive Atlas is conflated with that of Hercules. Hercules conquered the beast as the first of his Twelve Labors, and also briefly relieved Atlas of his duties during his penultimate Labor. While the subject of Hercules is represented in other forms of Gandharan material culture, such as a wrestler's weight now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1994.112), the only other known large stone Atlas in the form of Hercules is in the Cleveland Museum of Art (fig. 1). In comparison, the present example alludes more directly to the hero's depiction in Classical art, as the modelling of his high cheek bones, thick beard, and searching gaze draws remarkable resemblance to a monumental head of Hercules from Pergamon (fig. 2), a likeness that was also observed by Ingholt about an Atlas figurine with a similar countenance (Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, 1951, p. 157, no. 387). In the Gandharan context, surviving Atlas figures sculpted from stucco line stupa bases at the sites of Taxila, Hadda, and Jualian. There is a considerable number of small stone panels and figurines, yet only a few large stone Atlas sculptures are broadly-known, and originate from two dispersed sets. The first set consists of three figures of smaller scale (each approx. 40 cm high) carved in a dark grey, almost black schist, comprising the aforementioned Cleveland Herculean Atlas, an Atlas in the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena (F.1975.17.17.S), and another sold by Bonhams, New York, 17 March 2014, lot 66. Atlas figures from the second set survive as a pair carved in a lighter grey schist, consisting of the present sculpture and its mate in the Peshawar Museum (Kurita, Gandharan Art, Vol. II, 1990, p. 157, fig. 453). This second pair is larger, more expressive, and better carved—truer to the Classical aesthetics of naturalism—making the de Marteau Atlas one of the two most important Gandharan Atlas figures remaining.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUE DE BOUDDHA EN SCHISTEANCIENNE RÉGION DU GANDHARA, III/IVE SIÈCLE147.5 cm (58 1/8 in.) high Footnotes:A SCHIST FIGURE OF BUDDHAANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY 犍陀羅 三/四世紀 片岩佛陀像 Published: Mario Bussagli, L'Arte del Gandhara, Torino, 1984, p. 100, no. 3. Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970s Supporting numerous publications on the art of ancient Gandhara, Claude de Marteau was perhaps best known for his expertise in Gandharan sculpture. His connoisseurship is epitomized by this almost life-size statue of the Buddha, which excels for its naturalism, grace, and contemplative attitude. The ancient region of Gandhara, which spanned modern-day northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, was home to a vibrant, cosmopolitan civilization situated at the crossroads of international trade networks linking South Asia, Central Asia, China, and the Mediterranean. Because of its verdant terrain and lucrative trade position, the region fell repeatedly to foreign raids and invaders. The Kushans, originally from Central Asia and already having incorporated elements of Greek culture, established themselves in Gandhara in the early first century CE. Under the Kushan ruler Kanishka (127-151 CE), Gandharan Buddhist art and architecture flourished, resulting in the creation of some of the earliest iconic images of the historical Buddha, such as the present statue. Indicative of Gandharan art's appealing multiculturalism, the stone carver who created the present image of the Buddha was clearly as well-versed in Buddhist iconography as he was in the Greco-Roman aesthetic tradition of naturalism. He succeeds in realistically modelling the figure's stance with a gentle, understated contrapposto, lightly bending the right knee and placing more weight on the left leg—imbuing movement within his creation. He effortlessly conveys the Buddha's supple physique, suggested under the sweeping pleats of his heavy monastic robe. To this, the sculptor has added certain physiological features, rooted in Indic religions, that distinguish an enlightened being (mahalakshana). A raised circular dot in the middle of his brow represents his urna, from which in many sutras, the Buddha emits a ray of light to illuminate distant worlds. Crisp, wavy locks are pulled over an ushnisha, a cranial protuberance endowed with a variety of magical powers. Another prominent symbol of his enlightened consciousness is the large halo backing his head and shoulders. But perhaps most profound is the arresting quietude evoked by his heart-shaped, mustachioed visage, whose heavy-lidded downward expression conveys a solemn detachment from the world. The present sculpture's torso and stance are portrayed with a higher degree of naturalism than a representative example in the British Museum (1947,0511.1). The soft treatment of the robes compares well with Gandharan sculptures of the Buddha held in the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena (F.1975.04.2.S), and sold at Christie's, New York, 21 March 2008, lot 527. A Gandharan Buddha with a similar cordate facial type is in the Tokyo National Museum (C0097675). Depicting Maitreya, the Future Buddha, venerated in the pedestal below Shakyamuni's feet, the present sculpture belongs to an iconic trope in Gandharan art also represented by a Buddha in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2014.188), and reflected in examples sold at Christie's, New York, 25 March 2004, lot 18, and Bonhams, Hong Kong, 2 December 2021, lot 1036.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
STATUE DE VISHNU EN ALLIAGE DE CUIVRE INCRUSTÉ D'ARGENTGRANDE RÉGION DU KASHMIR, VII/VIIIE SIÈCLEHimalayan Art Resources item no. 4842 16.9 cm (6 5/8 in.) high Footnotes:A SILVER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VISHNUGREATER KASHMIR, 7TH/8TH CENTURY克什米爾 七/八世紀 銅錯銀毘濕奴像 Published:Arman Neven, Sculpture des Indes, Brussels, 1978, p. 77, no. 136. Exhibited: Sculpture des Indes, Société Générale de Banque, Brussels, 8 December 1978 - 31 January 1979. Provenance:With Claude de Marteau, Brussels, by 1970sThis distinctive bronze of Vishnu follows an early aesthetic tradition placing the chakra and mace in his lower hands, where they could serve as structural supports for the sculpture. This function is similarly exhibited by a terracotta sculpture from the Gupta period in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1987.142.293). A rare bronze representation of Surya attributed to the 6th/7th century in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (EA1986.2), also employs this device, but the attributes are personified as attendant figures. The figure's pronounced pectorals, wild curly tresses recalling Gandharan flowing locks, and simple three-leaf crown, all suggest an attribution to the region of Greater Kashmir, at the crossroads of Northwest India, the Himalayas, and Central Asia. The region thus spanned Himachal Pradesh, Swat, and even beyond the Khyber Pass, modern-day Afghanistan. For instance, the Ashmolean Surya, which displays a similar facial type with added silver inlay, is attributed to the Kabul Valley. An early Vajrapani attributed to 6th-/7th-century Kashmir also shares these features, with the addition of a svelte, lightly clad physique similar to that of the present sculpture, a silhouette derived from the Gupta period (see Bonhams, New York, 18 March 2013, lot 40). An Avalokiteshvara attributed to 7th-century Swat provides a further landmark in the corpus of enigmatic, early Northwestern Indian bronzes which the present sculpture belongs to (von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, 1981, p. 83, no. 5A).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Yoko Ono: A Box Of Smile,1971,a polished chrome box with hinged lid and mirrored interior base, engraved on the front A BOX OF SMILE, Y.O. -'71, 2 1/2in x 2 1/2in (6.5cm x 6.5cm)Footnotes:Gifted by Yoko Ono to John and Sheila Ravenscroft.The title of the work functions as an instruction to the viewer who, when opening the lid, smiles in surprise upon discovering the mirror inside. First produced in 1967 by Ono, this version was from a series of approximately 150 produced in 1971.Yoko Ono has held solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Musée d'Art Contemporain De Lyon, and the Serpentine Galleries.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
88x Observer's Books published by Frederick Warne. Mainly 1940s-70s editions with a good spread of titles including; Wayside & Woodland, Observer's Books, Tourist Atlas GB, Architecture, Geology, Freshwater Fishes, Wild Animals, Wild Flowers, Birds, House Plants, Postage Stamps, Modern Art, Flags, Painting, Pond Life, Weather, Railway Locomotives, Aircraft, Manned Spaceflight, etc. QGC-VGC, many with dust jackets, some wear/damage. £50-70
Ɵ A GROUP OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY ILLUSTRATED BOOKS. 21 vol. mixed editions, mostly 4to. and folio, original cloth, gilt. comprises: GILBERT, Sir John. The Library Shakspeare. (circa1890). 4to, complete, 9 vol., original decorative gilt green cloth, all edges gilt, with Notes, Critical and Explanatory by Samuel Neil; HUGHES, William. Philips' Select Atlas of Modern Geography. New and Enlarged edition, 1885; FISHER, Thomas. Collections Historical, Genealogical and Topographical, for Bedfordshire. 1812-1836; The Art Journal. 1850, vol. XII; LYSONS, Rev. Daniel. Magna Britannia. 1813, vol. 1, part 1, containing Bedfordshire; FINN, Frank and HINTON, Martin A.C. Hutchinson's Animals of All Countries (circa. 1900). 2 vol; MORRIS, Rev. F.O. [Editor]. A Series of Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain. (circa 1880). six vol. (Qty. 21).Condition Report: boards rubbed and worn, extremities scuffed and worn, gilt faded to some volumes, Lysons' Magna Britannia with defective spine, mostly clean bright plates and illustrations.Condition Report Disclaimer
(Cookery), Mrs Dalgairns: 'The Practice of Cookery, adapted to the Business of Every Day Life', Edinburgh, Robert Cadell, 1836, 6th edition, xxxvi,468pp, old cloth backed boards, printed paper label to spine; James Wallace: 'The Confectioner's Guide', London, 1826, 12mo, original printed paper covered boards (worn), later rebacked cloth; William Kitchiner: 'The Cook's Oracle', London, Houlston, 1860, new edition, 424pp, original cloth gilt; Eliza Acton: 'Modern Cookery', London, Longman et al, 1860, revised and enlarged, engraved frontis + 7 full page engraved plates + ills in text throughout, 643 + 24pp ads at end, original cloth gilt, a better than usual copy; Mrs Mary Eaton: 'The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery', Bungay, 1823, half title, frontis, engraved title and printed title supplied in facsimile, v-488pp (original), pp489-495 of index also supplied in facsimile, 3 original engraved plates present (foxing/toning to leaves), handsomely rebound quarter calf gilt; Beatrice A. Vieyra: 'Culinary Art Sparklets', Madras, Vest & Co, 1915, xlix,364,2,xx,[4]pp, old cloth backed paper covered boards; Mrs Isabella Beeton: 'The Book of Household Management', L, Ward Lock, 1893, new edition, folding coloured frontis + 12 coloured plates (of which 1 folding), original calf backed boards gilt; 'Arcana Fairfaxiana manuscripta : a manuscript volume of apothecaries' lore and housewifery nearly three centuries old / used, and partly written by the Fairfax family ; reproduced in fac-similie of the handwritings ; an introduction by George Weddell.', Newcastle Upon Tyne, Mawson et al, 1890, ex Repton School library, contemporary calf gilt, rebacked retaining backstrip; plus other (9)
TWO BOXES OF GLASS REFERENCE BOOKS ETC, titles include 'Glass contemporary art' by Dan Klein, 'The art of Rene Lalique' by Patricia Bayer & Mark Waller, 'The history of glass' by Dan Klein & Ward LLoyd, 'Emile Galle' by Philippe Garner, '20th Century glass' by Lesley Jackson, 'Modern glass' by Ronald Stennett Wilson, 'Ysart glass' published by Volo, Glass design pamphlet signed by Ronald Stennett Wilson etc, together with reference books about ceramics, Russian miniatures, Meccano 1938 etc
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![Boyd (Kelly [editor]). Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing, 2 volumes, 1st edition, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/21b22f34-a274-4e72-bd63-aea600d93d9e/3fbb2636-73b3-4224-b471-aea601034b54/468x382.jpg)
