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Click here to subscribeA gold and coral necklace in a twist link design with oval coral beads mounted at intervals, on a boltring clasp, detailed '585', weight 6.4g, length 44cm, and a pair of gold and coral earstuds with post and butterfly fittings, detailed '750', weight 1.2g, length 0.8cm.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A Victorian gilt metal mounted oval shell cameo brooch, width 6.5cm, a Victorian gold and amethyst single stone pendant, mounted with an oval cut amethyst, unmarked, weight 5g, a pair of 9ct gold and cultured pearl earstuds with post fittings, weight 3.9g, and two brooches.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A pair of white gold and diamond single stone earstuds, each claw set with a circular cut diamond, with threaded post and screw fittings, detailed '18K', weight 1.1g, total diamond weight approx 1.18ct, diameter 5.5mm, with a case.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A pair of 9ct gold chain link earrings with post fittings, a 9ct gold tie slide, a gold and amethyst pendant cross, detailed '9ct' (two amethysts lacking), total weight 8.1g, and a gold pendant drop, unmarked, weight 1.7g, together with a Victorian pendant compass, fitted to a chain, a lapis lazuli ring, two further rings, a pair of earrings, a charm, designed as a seashell, and one cufflink.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A diamond, ruby and red gem set single earclip, circa 1920, in a scrolled design, with post and sprung fitting, unmarked, length 2.7cm.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A pair of 18ct white gold and diamond earstuds, each claw set with four diamonds forming a circle, with threaded post and screw butterfly fittings, the butterflies detailed '18K', weight 1.9g, diameter 6mm, with a case.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
A Victorian amethyst single stone brooch, mounted with a large oval cut amethyst, width 4.4cm, a pair of citrine single stone earstuds with later threaded post and screw fittings, the fittings detailed '9c', a similar gilt base metal, citrine and yellow paste pendant cross, two gold and colourless gem set fittings, unmarked, weight 1.9g, and an orange paste set pendant necklace.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.
Charles R. Gerrard ARA (British, b. 1892) Still Lifeoil on canvas 70.5 x 82 cm.Footnotes:ProvenanceFamily of the artist.Christie's South Kensington, 1998 or 1999.Caelt Gallery, 182 Westbourne Grove, London W11 (label on stretcher).Private UK collection.The present lot demonstrates that Gerrard had his eye on both British painting such as that of Sir Matthew Smith (1879-1959), whose still life compositions it most strikingly resembles, and on Expressionist circles in Europe. A review in The Times of India of an exhibition of Gerrard's paintings at the Sir J. J. in November 1940 observed that it encompassed Impressionist and post-Impressionist styles as well as those of 'solid academic traditions'. Bakre, paying tribute to his direct influence on his own work, was later to comment on Gerrard's skill as a draughtsman, and his use of 'sharp, hot colours'.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Rudolf von Leyden (German, 1908-83) View of Portofinooil on canvas, signed lower left, label of Chemould Gallery, Bombay, on stretcher 51 x 70 cm.Footnotes:Why does a view of the Italian resort of Portofino, painted by an emigré German artist - feature in a sale devoted to India in Art?Rudolf (Rudy) von Leyden, was art critic of the Times of India, and a political cartoonist and satirist. He 'discovered' and encouraged many of the young artists who became the major figures of modern Indian art post-1947. Syed Haider Raza, for instance, travelled to France in 1950 on a scholarship from the Alliance Francaise, with support from von Leyden and Walter Langhammer, and Paris and France, and its landscape, became fundamental to Raza's work of the 50s and 60s. Von Leyden produced a book about him in 1959.Kekoo Gandhy, of the Jehangir Art Gallery, wrote: 'Remember that in those days, Indian artists had no means of going abroad or of following trends in Europe. Of course, there were magazines, but the unexpected arrival of all these Europeans - most of them Jews fleeing from Austria - really started the Progressive movement off'. ('The Beginnings of the Art Movement', Seminar, no. 528, quoted in D. Singh, 'German-speaking exiles and the writing of Indian art history', arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com, p. 16).Rudy von Leyden was born in 1908 in Berlin to a middle-class family, the younger of two sons. He was a man of Jewish descent and of left-wing political views, so the rise of the Nazi party was naturally the main motivation for him to leave Germany. But while, like other such political refugees, he might have gone to France, Britain or the USA, he seems to have chosen India instead, most probably because his elder brother, Albrecht, had been living and working in Bombay since 1927. Rudolf had just finished his studies (he received his PhD in Geology from the University of Göttingen in 1932) and was looking to embark on his own career. He arrived in Bombay in 1933.Geology was rapidly left behind, and he began working in the publicity department of a textiles firm, but also soon showed his interest in visual art. He set up the Leyden Commercial Art Studio, painted watercolours while travelling around the country, and also began series of political cartoons, which he continued to produce throughout the war, publishing under the pseudonym 'Denley', an English-sounding anagram of 'Leyden', and in which he maintained a resolutely anti-Nazi tone.He was a central figure in the art scene in Bombay and elsewhere, collecting Indian art from various periods, organising exhibitions, and actively promoting young, contemporary artists. He wrote articles, for instance, about the work of the Calcutta Group (whose members included, inter alia, Paritosh Sen and Gopal Ghose), founded in 1943He was a contributing editor of the leading art review MARG from 1946 and served as an adviser for the acquisitions and art commissions of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), which owned one of the most important collections of post-independence Indian art. He collected, and also became an authority on, antique board games and Indian playing cards (ganjifa). Many German or Austrian nationals were arrested as enemy aliens after the outbreak of war in 1939. Von Leyden had managed to acquire a British passport by that time, and used his contacts to help other German-speaking emigres to navigate the British authorities. One fellow artist and cartoonist, Walter Langhammer, and his wife Käthe were rescued from exile and arrest when von Leyden sent Langhammer's cartoons to several influential people in Bombay, to prove his political disposition and loyalty to the British government. Langhammer later became Art Director of the Times of India.For further information on von Leyden and his context, see N. Tuli, The Flamed Mosaic: Indian Contemporary Painting, 1997, pp. 198-201; S. S. Bean (ed.), Midnight to the Boom: Painting in India after Independence, London 2013, pp. 37-42; and M. Arbuthnot, 'Bombay satire: Rudolf von Leyden's political cartoons in India in the 1930s and 40s', British Library blogpost, 12th December 2018.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Five albums of GB stamps dating 1840 - c1990s. Including Penny Black plate 'EG', 1840 penny reds (Maltese Cross Cancellations), Jubilee Issue, Ninth Universal Postal Union Congress, 1924 British Empire Exhibition, face value approx £140 (inc 1st class stamps), used and MNH post and pre 1973 assorted.
A very good collection of Royal Mail Tallents House FDCs inc: London 2010 Festival of stamps, George V Accession, Post & Go stamps, Smilers 2006, The Beatles, Abolition of the Slave Trade, The Machin Definitive, Harry Potter, James Bond, Benham issues, Olympics etc. Together with matching and other presentation pack stamps (approx £650, quantity of 1st class stamps, definitive stamps £1.50 to £5, The Castles Definitives 1955), Royal Mail Prestige stamp books (27) and RM miniature sheets (34), The Queen's Coronation commemorative postal order, PHQ cards, etc.
Royal Mail Victorian Stamp Ingot Collection, boxed set with ingots for Penny Black, Halfpenny Red, Penny Lilac, embossed shilling, Jubilee shilling and £5 orange. Together with an album of seventeen Edward VII, George V, George VI and QEII stamp ingots dating 2001 to 2005 inc Festival of Britain, Pillar to Post, Seahorse Ten Shillings, £2 commemorative coin covers, etc.
GB: Philatelic Silver (925) Ingot Collection of iconic and top value postage stamps of QV-KGVI period plus numismatic-philatelic cover sets 'Pillar to Post' (six covers), 'Cathedrals' (six covers) & 'Castles' (4 covers). In addition Isambard Brunel £2 Silver Proof Set and HM Queen's 80th Birthday Proof Crown, both 2006, with small book on Kings and Queens of England. 35 stamp ingots of differing weight
GB: QEII Mint Defin., Commem. & 'Post-and-Go' stamps 2015-2021 in 5 albums plus 4 albums of clean, purposed FDC including numerous mini-sheets, booklets, se-tenant stamps and plenty of 1st and 2nd class and high values. Decimal FV c£1,050. In addition 2018 and 2021 edition of SG 'Collect British Stamps' plus bag of presentation pack, mini-sheets & stamp literature
Germany: Collection of immediate post-war stamps, loose in envelope and on cover of early E & W Germany, allied occupation and Berlin issues. Some scarcer defin. & commem. on stockcard cat £1,300+ and better covers cat £700+ along with others inc. Bicentenary of Goethe (SG B61-63), Berlin 1948-1949 issues to 1DM, W German 30pfg UPU on cover (SG1038) & E German Labour day (SG E9). Great variety. Cover made from German map of Spain noted
Militaria to include military weapons and vehicles including Bezdek "American Swords and Swordmakers" (2 vols), Spielberger "Panzerkampfwagen IV and its Variants 1935-1945" book 2, Jamieson "Bullard Firearms", Ware, Pat "A Directory of Post-War British Military Vehicles; Military Vehicle Design and the FVRDE 1946-1981"
Comettant Oscar "Voyage Pittoresque et Anecdotique dans le Nord et le Sud des Etats-Unis d'Amerique" Paris 1866frontis with tissue guard, 15 plates with tissue guard throughout, foxed throughout, three coloured plates 'Camp Indie', Lincoln Recevant...' and 'Pony Post' - two volumes, watered silk end papers, contemporary brown cloth, blind stamped with gilt decorations with Enault Lewis "L'Amerique Central et Meridionale ..." ParisF. de P. Mellado et Cie 1867, frontis with tissue guard, 17 plates with tissue guards, two coloured plates both titles ' Types Mexicains' , slight foxing throughout, blind stamped decoration to brown cloth , both volumes aeg (2)Condition ReportComettant ................15 plates with tissue guard throughout, foxed throughout, three coloured plates 'Camp Indie', Lincoln Recevant...' and 'Pony Post'Enault........17 plates with tissue guards, two coloured plates both titled ' Types Mexicains' , slight foxing throughout
THE FALL - REFORMATION! POST - TLC LP (2020 - CHERRY RED BREDD 800). The 2020 (reissue) white label test pressing of The Fall - Reformation! Post - TLC. Released by Cherry Red (BREDD 800) as a double LP. The records are in Ex+ condition with a couple of faint and wispy paper marks. With MPO Test Pressings inners.
A necklace and pair of earrings, 585/1000 and 750/1000 bicolour gold, decorated with polychrome enamels and set with citrine, chalcedony, emeralds, tourmalines, sapphires, topaz, mother-of-pearl, Mediterranean coral and 56 brilliant-cut diamonds with the approximate weight of 1 ct., Italian, 21st C., warranty marks, marked SANTAGOSTINO, post-2021 mark, Dim. - 42 cm (colar); 3,5 cm (brincos) cm; Peso - 122 g.
Sven BERLIN (1911-1999)'Coat of Many Colours'The lot is made up of three folders and two envelopes all relating to Berlin's 1994 published novel, 'The Coat of Many Colours'. The first in the lot is a red folder titled 'Coat of Many Colours. An Autosvenography. Corrected text' which is a typescript containing a large number of handwritten annotations, the second folder of text is also a typescript and is titled 'Original Typescript Coat of Many Colours'. This text in particular begins with the chapter 'Disturbance in The West' and also includes a large number of handwritten annotations. The final folder titled, 'Coat Of Many Colours (Letters), contains multiple letters regarding the novel. The first envelope in the lot is titled 'The Coat of Many Colours. Pix 1-40.' and the second 'Coat Of Many Colours. Pix 75-119'. Both of which contain numerous photos that later appear in the published book.'Coat of Many Colours' is the first of Berlin's 'autosvenography' series. The main body of the book discusses Berlin's time in post-war St. Ives, where he became part of the creative community of painters, poets and sculptors. The book covers the period until 1953 when Berlin leaves St. Ives with his horsedrawn wagon. After this point is where Berlin's second autosvenography, 'Virgo In Exile', then begins.
A group of eight Robertsons 'Golly Band' figures, including accordion player, trumpet player, drummer, double bass, etc and a quantity of boxed vintage pens to include a Parker ballpoint pen, a Fisherspale pen, a Sheaffer, Waterman fountain pen and a small quantity of British mint stamps from the British Philatelic Bureau and Post Office, each in individual packet.
One of only 799, this ultra low mileage 'Tour de France' is finished in a rather stylish colour combination.The F12 Berlinetta is the ultimate front-engined, rear-wheel drive Grand Tourer from Ferrari and made its debut at the 2012 Geneva Show featuring one of Ferrrari’s last naturally-aspirated V12 6.3-litre engines which delivered 740bhp with an impressive 690 Nm of torque offering 0-62mph in just 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 211mph.In October 2015, Ferrari announced a limited-edition variant, the F12tdf, its nomenclature referencing a competition variant of the 250 GT, so named following the latter's many victories in the Tour de France Automobile in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Like its illustrious predecessor, the F12tdf was a lightweight, track-focused model aimed at wealthy connoisseurs and gentleman racers and only 799 were built during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The F12tdf utilised the same 6.3-litre V12 engine as the standard car, albeit modified by the addition of mechanical tappets and variable-geometry intake trumpets, to produce in excess of 770bhp. 110kg of weight was saved by the use of carbon fibre and fastidious use of lightweight materials for every element of the car. Every aspect of the car was assessed, from the narrow-section five-spoke wheels to the single-piece carbon door cards and even the passenger glovebox was considered unnecessary weight and therefore removed.The body, too, was reconsidered and featured state-of-the-art active aerodynamics that helped generate an 80% increase in downforce at 120mph, as well as unique design elements that paid tribute to the great Ferraris of the past, the most obvious being the 250 GTO–inspired slots over the rear haunches. The chassis, already considered to be excellent by road-car standards, was improved with the introduction of a rear-wheel steering system known as ‘Virtual Short Wheelbase’ to complement the dramatically widened front track and existing electronic control systems (ESC, ABS/EBD, F1-Trac and SSC 3). The result was a reduction of the 0-100 kph time to 2.9 seconds, top speed was now in excess of 340 kph and around Fiorano, the F12tdf was 2.0 seconds quicker than its standard sibling.According to the accompanying paperwork, this Ferrari F12 Tdf (Type F152 ACL), Chassis No. ZFF81BHT 6H0224560 was built during January 2017 in left-hand drive as a Gulf version i.e. subject to the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Homologation requirements and destined for Kuwait. In common with many very special Ferraris, the order was routed through Ferrari’s Atelier Studio which offeried a remarkable level of personalisation and there is a list (in English) of the selected options on a plaque within the car. The special order (extracampionario) exterior colour selected was Argento Auteil with the interior mainly in Cuoio (natural leather) with Nero detailing. There is a full list from Ferrari of all the bespoke details and they include carbon fibre (CF) air filter covers, CF engine bay covers, Ferrari telemetry and track cameras, 20-inch diamond-forged wheels, aluminium brake calipers, Daytona racing seats, a number of alcantara and leather interior bespoke options, adaptive front lights, front suspension lifter, navigation maps, front and rear cameras, hi-power premium hi-fi system and integrated audio system and much more.The car is also accompanied by its ‘Attestato per vetture Serie speciali’ (Attestation for Special series vehicles) dated 8th February 2017 in a stylish sleeved yellow presentation folder showing its journey through the factory when being built and confirming its technical spec.The Ferrari was imported to the UK and first registered here on 1st April 2018, according to its UK V5C, and further documentation including Kuwaiti Registration papers, Kuwaiti Vehicle Quittance and export certificates, HMRC vehicle import post clearance checks, an invoice from Cars UK detailing UK Import Tax of £93,647 and DVLA confirmation of the car’s new UK registration number (LJ66 KFZ).The F12 has been enjoying life in London and, at the time of cataloguing, was displaying an odometer reading of around 1,275km (795 miles). There are a couple of invoices from Rosso Corsa in Milan at 890 km and 1,086 km respectively and one from Dick Lovett in Swindon for £2,779 dated 15th July 2021 at 1,200km covering a routine service, four new Pirellis, an air-con service and a fresh MOT (valid until 8th July 2022). Representing a wonderful opportunity to own one of Ferrari's all-time great, front-engined supercars, this stunning ‘Atelier bespoke’ F12tdf comes complete with its tool kit, locking wheel nut key, service wallet and manuals, and the all-important F12tdf ‘Attestato'. As might be expected of such a low-mileage, one-owner car, this unique F12tdf presents superbly and is, without doubt, the ultimate front-engined Ferrari supercar and a true modern-day collectible that will continue to be held in high esteem by collectors and enthusiasts for years to come..SpecificationMake: FERRARIModel: F12Year: 2017Chassis Number: ZFF81BHT6H0224560Registration Number: LJ66 KFZEngine Number: 34880Drive Side: Left-hand DriveOdometer Reading: 1275 KMMake: LHDInterior Colour: Cuoio AlcantaraClick here for more details and images
Konvolut Werbeschilder, 3 Stückeinmal "Herold Kräuterlikör", H. 42cm, B. 32cm, guter gebrauchter Zustand. Einmal "Surmann Kaffee Bremen", H. 42cm, B. 30cm, Alters- und Gebrauchsspuren. Sowie "Hotel zur Post" Lüdenscheid mit Speisekarte H. 33,5cm, B. 23,5cm, guter gebrauchter Zustand. Wohl 30er Jahre.
Othon Coubine (Czech, 1883-1969)Bouquet of lilacs in a vase, 1929Oil on canvas25-3/4 x 21-1/2 inches (65.4 x 54.6 cm)Signed lower right: Coubine PROVENANCE:Galerie Théophile Bríant, Paris;Private collection, Switzerland;Max Müller, Switzerland, acquired from the above, 1930s;Thence by descent to the present owner, 1973.We are grateful to Dr. Rea Michalová, art historian/curator and specialist on the art of Othon Coubine, for his enthusiastic endorsement of the present work and for preparing this thoughtful catalogue essay.Bouquet of lilacs in a vase is an outstanding example of the floral still lifes painted during the 1920s by Otakar Kubín (known in France as Othon Coubine), the most famous and consistent representative of Czech neoclassicism, an art movement known in France as the "retour à l'ordre". The painter's distinctive, lyrical conception of the motif is characterized by a shimmering sense of atmosphere and near-color harmonies that impart a strong emotional vibration to his work. Coubine's attachment to the neo-realist current reflected his personal sensibilities, his response to the post-war atmosphere, and his particular inspiration from the work of French artists Ingres and Corot—all of which combined to earn him considerable fame in France, where he lived permanently from 1912. The abundance of articles and publications written about his work by French and German art historians and critics not long after his arrival in France was a testament to his rapidly growing reputation. The first monograph on Coubine was published in 1922 by the editors of the Italian magazine "Valori plastici" (Plastic Values), which grouped him together with such luminaries as Carlo Carrà, Giorgio Morandi, Arturo Martini, and Gino Severini. Written by Maurice Raynal, a French theorist associated with a group of artists around Galerie de l'Effort Moderne's Léonce Rosenberg, one of the most influential art dealers of the twentieth century, the monograph laid out the philosophy of this group which sought to create a modern, new classicism. Coubine was thus situated directly in the center of this new European movement.The declaration of war [in 1914] dealt a dramatic blow to the artist. He was sent to an internment camp in Bordeaux and, after his release, material misery deprived him of the opportunity to paint in oil. He thus devoted himself during this period to the study of theoretical and philosophical writings at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. In Blaise Pascal's treatise L'Esprit du géometrie ("Spirit of Geometry"), he discovered a justification for his new artistic inclinations. He frequented the Louvre, where he admired the Italian masters of the Quattrocento. It is in his drawings that his transition to classicism is reflected for the first time.The present painting, Bouquet of lilacs in a vase, shows Coubine, in a quest for ideal beauty, "adjusting" nature into configurations that do not naturally occur in it. On a wooden chest of drawers, he placed a simple, undecorated gray-white vase crowned with an expansive arrangement of a beautiful single-species bouquet of lilacs, plants of the olive family, which growing naturally both in France and abundantly in the Czech Republic. Their powerful perfume would doubtless have had an intensely sensory-emotional significance for the artist.Coubine was repeatedly inspired by the enchanting lilacs. For example, the National Gallery, Prague owns Coubine's Bouquet in a vase of 1924, in which the lilacs form a part of a multi-species bouquet; the Moravian Gallery in Brno owns a Bouquet of lilacs which is supplemented by a marigold, the bridal veil and iris.Against a neutral, silvery-gray background (a color tone inspired by the work of Corot), Coubine centrally placed a charming symphony of pastel-purple tones, conjuring the lilac blossoms with an impressionist "staccato," in contrast to the bottle-green heart-shaped leaves. Not only the bouquet itself, but especially the motif of the yellow drapery, which nonchalantly covers the right part of the chest of drawers, expresses the painter's fascination with the "uncanny" in everyday life that permanently surrounds us. HID12701242017
Maurice Utrillo (French, 1883-1955)L'eglise, circa 1938Oil on canvas25-3/4 x 21-1/4 inches (65.4 x 54.0 cm)Signed lower right: Maurice Utrillo, V PROVENANCE:Private collection, Switzerland;Max Müller, Switzerland, acquired from the above, 1930s;Thence by descent to the present owner, 1973.The Comité Utrillo-Valadon has kindly confirmed the authenticity of this work, which will be included in the next volume of the Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre complet de Maurice Utrillo.During the middle decades of the twentieth century, this vibrant late work by Post-Impressionist Maurice Utrillo formed part of the collection of contemporary European paintings assembled by Max Müller, a German-born Dutch citizen who made his fortune exporting the health tonic Sanatogen to Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Far East. On his travels, Müller routinely frequented galleries, investing in works by both emerging and established artists. Othon Coubine's Bouquet of lilacs in a vase in the present sale is also from his collection (see lot 69006).Utrillo's distinctive, self-taught style—with its strong outlines, simplified flattened forms, and emphasis on church and street views—is as famous as his tortured biography. The son of Suzanne Valadon, an artist's model who evolved into a painter of remarkable force, Utrillo struggled most of his life with alcoholism, depression, and mental illness. Although initially disinclined towards artistic expression, Utrillo was encouraged to paint by his mother as "art therapy" during his turbulent late teens, an approach that greatly helped his mindset. He rechanneled his turmoil into painting with an extraordinary intensity of focus, which in turn enabled him to find periods of emotional balance.Projecting his style onto the world around him, he virtually created his own genre; bold, richly textured scenes of his rustic hometown of Montmartre, where simple figures strolled along the narrow, winding streets. His art went through a distinct evolution from the darker grittier early works of Montmartre nightclubs, seedy bars, and small wooden houses to his now-famous "White Period" which made his reputation during World War I. These paintings possess a white tonality derived from the mixture of plaster and sand into the oil paint, and are characterized by an eerie emptiness—streets with no people. His third "style" is one of brighter colors, sunny blue skies with people milling about, which reflects the influence of Impressionism.The present work belongs to this last category of Utrillo's art, but with the richer depth of color and strong black contours characteristic of his later works. In 1936 he had married Lucie Pauwels and settled into a more orderly bourgeois existence at Vésinet, one of the more affluent suburbs of western Paris. He would make visits to the country to paint provincial churches such as this one. However, from 1937 on, Utrillo was looked after by his friend and dealer Paul Pétridès, owing to struggles with his mental and physical health. Nonetheless, he kept painting and produced works with a deep vein of poetic melancholy that are now cherished by collectors. To honor his mother Suzanne Valadon's unwavering love and support of him, Utrillo took to signing his works with his name, together with a V. HID12701242017
Sir Peter Lely (Dutch, 1618-1680)Portrait of a Gentleman, thought to be the actor Henry Harris, in a feigned oval, circa 1660sOil on canvas30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.5 cm)Monogrammed lower left inside the oval: PLProperty from the Collection of Bill and Margot Winspear, Dallas, Texas PROVENANCE:Blundell, Hampshire (per the record below);Christie's, London, June 16, 2005, lot 212 (attributed to John Greenhill on the basis of a partial apocryphal signature);Philip Mould & Company, London;Acquired by the present owner from the above.During the second half of the seventeenth century, Sir Peter Lely assumed the mantle of Sir Anthony van Dyck as the most dominant portraitist in England, owing both to the enviable brio of his skillful likenesses and to his considerable personal charm. Everyone of consequence in his age sat to him.The present Portrait of a Gentleman, thought to be the actor Henry Harris, in a feigned oval (circa 1660) is, as English portrait specialist Philip Mould has commented, "a superb example of Lely's technique at what is arguably the highpoint of his artistic development. Here, the complete (and exceedingly difficult) mastery of tone so perfected by Rembrandt, and redolent of Lely's early education in Holland, is combined with his admiration for Van Dyck, whose elegant style increasingly became the starting point for all Lely's later work."In this portrait, Lely has made the most of the sitter's piercing intensity through his extremely subtle tonal gradations of the man's hooded eyes and sculpted nose—the two features imparting the most character to the face. They are also the most distinguishing characteristics of actor Henry Harris (circa 1634-1704), for whom only one surviving portrait is known [Magdalen College, Oxford, circa 1663]. Painted by John Greenhill, Lely's most talented pupil, that portrait shows Harris in the role of Cardinal Wolsey from Shakespeare's Henry VIII, presented in three-quarter view, and displaying an almost complete physiognomic resemblance to the man in Lely's painting. As Mould carefully observed, Lely's palette for the present portrait was limited, containing only four colors (brown, white, black, and red). He added: "Perhaps the most ingenious touch is the emergent backlight which offsets the thickly applied pigments in the face, and which instantly adds depth to the whole composition, while the delicate highlights on the sitter's left shoulder are enough to complete the sense of dimension, as his clothing appears to spill out over the painted oval frame. This sense of drama, captured throughout with the mastery of drawing that made Lely the most accomplished draughtsman after Van Dyck, ensures that we are fastened with a piercing gaze in a portrait of presence and power that few other artists – even across Europe – could have achieved at that time."Henry Harris was one of the leading actors of the late seventeenth century, and is known to us today chiefly through his friendship with diarist Samuel Pepys. Pepys recorded that he was able to command £20 for each new play (the equivalent of approximately £5,000 today), more than any other actor, and in 1663 he was made Yeoman of the Revels for life, with lodgings at court. Mould noted: "As part of the new generation of actors eager to please a post-Puritan audience, Harris played an important role in leading Londoners out of the rigid austerity of Cromwell's republic into the florid grandeur of the Stuart monarchy. He performed regularly for the King and the Duke of York. His friendship with Pepys began in 1667, the diarist thinking him ‘a very excellent person, such as in my whole [life] I do not know another better qualified for converse... I was mightily pleased with his company.' He was a ‘very curious and understanding person in all pictures and other things – and a man of fine conversation', and Pepys seems to have relied on the actor, who was something of a rogue, to experience the wilder antics of London life. After one evening of drink and merriment, he noted, ‘Lord, their mad bawdy talk did make my heart ake.''' HID12701242017
Sam Francis (San Mateo 1923 – 1994 Santa Monica). Ohne Titel. 1959Gouache auf Papier. 16,8 × 12,5 cm (6 ⅝ × 4 ⅞ in.). Rückseitig mit Pinsel in Schwarz monogrammiert und datiert: S.F. 1959. Dort auch mit Bleistift signiert: Sam Francis. Auf der Rückpappe ein Etikett der Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York.[3077] Gerahmt. Provenienz: Privatsammlung, SüddeutschlandAddendum/Erratum: Das Werk ist registriert im Online Catalogue Raisonné Project der Sam Francis Foundation, Pasadena, unter der Nr. SF59-450. Literatur und Abbildung: First Open - Post-War and Contemporary Art. New York, Christie's, 23.9.2005. Kat.-Nr. 128, m. Abb.Wir berechnen auf den Hammerpreis 32% Aufgeld.
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