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Click here to subscribeA Victorian silver-mounted glass basket weave spirit flask, with screw-lock button cap and removeable beaker, by Thomas Goodfellow, hallmarks London 1888, patent no. 9617, height 13.5cmCap has 2 dents, beaker has personalised engraving, general wear to high points, no chips or cracks to glass, hallmarks rubbed
A George V curved silver spirit flask, with screw-lock button cap and removeable beaker with gilt interior, by Marples & Beasley, height 13cm, 5.7ozNo damage or repairs, beaker has 1 small dent on front bottom left corner, very light abrasions all over, lock cap working, hallmarks clear and matching
A George V silver kettle on stand, with ebonised handle and finial, by Harrison Brothers and Howson, hallmarks London 1910, overall height 32cm, with associated white metal spirit burner, 43oz grossNo damage or repair, kettle has burn mark to base from spirit burner, hinges working and pins present, hallmarks clear
An Edwardian silver kettle on stand, possibly designed by Christopher Dresser for Goldsmith & Silversmiths Co Ltd, circular form with ebony handle and associated silver spirit burner, hallmarks London 1906, overall height 25cm, 31oz grossNo damage or repairs, teapot has a couple of tiny indentations on raised rim, spirit burner cover is lacking hinge pin, hallmarks rubbed
Spanish school; 19th century."Costumbrista scene".Oil on cardboard.Provenance: Private Collection of Luis García Berlanga.The frame is damaged.Measurements: 17 x 10 cm; 26,5 x 20,5 cm (frame).The new 19th century costume painting was born as a way of interpreting a growing feeling of national consciousness, now present in the middle class as it advanced towards social hegemony. To a certain extent, the painters' concern was to deepen the vision of their country through a language, that of painting, which everyone could understand, thus helping the common people to understand the nature and meaning of their nationality, especially as it had manifested itself in the recent past, still vivid in the memory of the elders. Of the two main schools of costumbrista painting in 19th-century Spain, the Sevillian and Madrid schools, the latter differs from the gentle picturesqueness of the former in its more pungent and harsh vision, sometimes going so far as to show not only the vulgar but even recreating the heartbreaking visions of a clichéd world of the working class, in which the spirit of criticism is evident.
WILLIAM ETTY (York, Great Britain, 1787 - 1849)."Young woman at Rest, 1828.Oil on canvas glued to panel.It has craquelure and restorations on the pictorial surface.There are losses and damage to the frame.Signed and dated in the lower right area.Measurements: 57 x 78 cm; 75 x 96 cm (frame).No British painter of historical subjects has devoted himself to the representation of the human form as assiduously as William Etty, and in particular to the female nude. Among his contemporaries, who marvelled at the depth and corporeality of his figures, he was known and highly praised for his ability to capture the human form and reproduce flesh tones. Etty was born in York and left school at the age of twelve to work as an apprentice in a print shop. He completed his apprenticeship after seven years and moved to London, where in 1807 he began training at the Royal Academy under Thomas Lawrence. Despite the admiration of his contemporaries for his technical skill, such as his friend John Constable, Etty struggled to gain public recognition early in his career, and it was not until 1821, with the exhibition of Cleopatra's Arrival in Cilicia (National Museums Liverpool) at the Royal Academy, that he finally received the acclaim he craved. Critics marvelled at Cleopatra's "languid, exuberant beauty" and described the painting as belonging to the "highest class" of art. Etty followed this success by exhibiting a succession of important mythological works over the next few years, which established Etty as one of Britain's most important historical painters in the early 19th century. With the advent of the twentieth century, Etty's important contribution to British art had been almost entirely forgotten, and an Arts Council exhibition in 1954 sparked only a brief revival of interest. Today, however, unfettered by the dictates of 19th century artistic discourse and morality, we can appreciate the beauty of Etty's art for what it is. As explored in the recent exhibition "William Etty: Art & Controversy" at the York Art Gallery, Etty's art was the result of a lifetime of serious engagement with the traditions of European painting, dedication to the study of the pattern of life, and commitment to an independent artistic spirit.
JOAN GARCÍA RIPOLLÉS, (Castellón, 1932)."Initiation to the observer", 1981.Oil on canvas.Provenance: Private Collection of Luis García Berlanga.Signed and dated in the lower left corner. Titled on the back.Measurements: 60 x 46 cm; 63,5 x 48,5 cm (frame).In this work Ripollés resorts to one of the most explored themes in the history of art, that of the bathers. Picasso's influence is evident in the work, both aesthetically and thematically, as the figure of the protagonist can be seen lying down like a Venus, who is contemplated by the figure of a man who is relegated to the right-hand corner of the composition and whose presence is barely noticeable. Known by his second surname or as "the Blessed Ripo", Joan García Ripollés discovered his passion for painting when, while still very young and in the midst of the post-war period, he began to work in an industrial painting workshop. From then on he devoted himself to painting at night, and later took drawing classes at the Ribalta secondary school in Castellón. After his debut in a group exhibition held in 1951 at the Caja de Ahorros de Castellón, 1954 was a turning point in his career, as a result of a trip to Paris where he made contact with the city's artistic circles. However, he was unable to give up industrial painting until 1958, when he joined the Drouand David gallery in Paris, one of the most prestigious in the world. He organised his first major solo exhibition at MACBA in 1962, and in 1967 he travelled to New York, where he exhibited and sold his entire collection to The William Haber Art Collection. That same year, the New York dealer Leon Amiel, of the Larrouse gallery, acquired all his work, something which was repeated on his trip to Japan. From that moment on he embarked on a dazzling international career that has taken his work all over the world. He has organised solo exhibitions not only in Spain, Paris and New York, but also in Mexico, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, various American cities, Germany and Japan. He is currently the exclusive artist of The William Haber Art in New York and the Galerie Drouand in Paris. In 2000 he was awarded the Premio de las Artes de la Comunidad Valenciana. Ripollés defines himself as an "immature adult" and, above all, "light-hearted, a little mischievous and with some naivety", words that reflect his exuberant creative spirit, his simple and extroverted character and his childlike soul. Ripollés is, today, one of the most international Spanish artists, and also one of the most complete, as he has worked brilliantly in painting, sculpture and engraving. He is represented in the IVAM, the MOMA in New York, the Museum of the University of Alicante, the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville and the MACBA.
JOAN GARCÍA RIPOLLÉS, (Castellón, 1932)."Woman", 1971.Mixed media on canvas.Presents the stamp of the Porcar Gallery (Castellón).Provenance: Luis de García Berlanga Private Collection.Signed and dated in the upper left corner.Measurements: 12 x 22 cm; 13,5 x 20 cm (frame).At the beginning of the 70's, Ripollés created this type of paintings with female protagonists much more stylised and with a symbolist character, as can be seen in his painting "Menina 2" from the year 70, where a similar aesthetic treatment to the one in the present work can be appreciated. Known by his second surname or as "the Blessed Ripo", Joan García Ripollés discovered his passion for painting when, while still very young and in the middle of the post-war period, he began to work in an industrial painting workshop. From then on he devoted himself to painting at night, and later took drawing classes at the Ribalta secondary school in Castellón. After his debut in a group exhibition held in 1951 at the Caja de Ahorros de Castellón, 1954 was a turning point in his career, as a result of a trip to Paris where he made contact with the city's artistic circles. However, he was unable to give up industrial painting until 1958, when he joined the Drouand David gallery in Paris, one of the most prestigious in the world. He organised his first major solo exhibition at MACBA in 1962, and in 1967 he travelled to New York, where he exhibited and sold his entire collection to The William Haber Art Collection. That same year, the New York dealer Leon Amiel, of the Larrouse gallery, acquired all his work, something which was repeated on his trip to Japan. From that moment on, he embarked on a dazzling international career that has taken his work all over the world. He has organised solo exhibitions not only in Spain, Paris and New York, but also in Mexico, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, various American cities, Germany and Japan. He is currently the exclusive artist of The William Haber Art in New York and the Galerie Drouand in Paris. In 2000 he was awarded the Premio de las Artes de la Comunidad Valenciana. Ripollés defines himself as an "immature adult" and, above all, "light-hearted, a little mischievous and with some naivety", words that reflect his exuberant creative spirit, his simple and extroverted character and his childlike soul. Ripollés is, today, one of the most international Spanish artists, and also one of the most complete, as he has worked brilliantly in painting, sculpture and engraving. He is represented in the IVAM, the MOMA in New York, the Museum of the University of Alicante, the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville and the MACBA.
JOAN GARCÍA RIPOLLÉS (Castellón, 1932)."Misa de música", 1969.Silkscreen on paper. Copy 1/30 P.A.Provenance: Private Collection of Luis García Berlanga.Signed, justified and located (New York).Measurements: 44 x 58 cm; 52,5 x 65,5 cm; 60 x 73 cm (frame).Known by his second surname or as "the Blessed Ripo", Joan García Ripollés discovered his passion for painting when, while still very young and in the middle of the post-war period, he started working in an industrial painting workshop. From then on he devoted himself to painting at night, and later took drawing classes at the Ribalta secondary school in Castellón. After his debut in a group exhibition held in 1951 at the Caja de Ahorros de Castellón, 1954 was a turning point in his career, as a result of a trip to Paris where he made contact with the city's artistic circles. However, he was unable to give up industrial painting until 1958, when he joined the Drouand David gallery in Paris, one of the most prestigious in the world. He organised his first major solo exhibition at MACBA in 1962, and in 1967 he travelled to New York, where he exhibited and sold his entire collection to The William Haber Art Collection. That same year, the New York dealer Leon Amiel, of the Larrouse gallery, acquired all his work, something which was repeated on his trip to Japan. From that moment on, he embarked on a dazzling international career that has taken his work all over the world. He has organised solo exhibitions not only in Spain, Paris and New York, but also in Mexico, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, various American cities, Germany and Japan. He is currently the exclusive artist of The William Haber Art in New York and the Galerie Drouand in Paris. In 2000 he was awarded the Premio de las Artes de la Comunidad Valenciana. Ripollés defines himself as an "immature adult" and, above all, "light-hearted, a little mischievous and with some naivety", words that reflect his exuberant creative spirit, his simple and extroverted character and his childlike soul. Ripollés is, today, one of the most international Spanish artists, and also one of the most complete, as he has worked brilliantly in painting, sculpture and engraving. He is represented in the IVAM, the MOMA in New York, the Museum of the University of Alicante, the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville and the MACBA.
Nikos Engonopoulos (Greek, 1907-1985)Irô et Leandros signé en grec et daté '53' (en bas à gauche)huile sur toile65 x 55.5cm (25 9/16 x 21 7/8in).Peint en 1953. signed in Greek and dated (lower left)oil on canvasFootnotes:ProvenanceGift of the artist in 1954 to Demetrios and Niki Andrikopoulos and hence by descent to the present owner.LittératureK. Perpinioti-Agazir, Nikos Engonopoulos, Son Univers Pictural, exhibition catalogue and catalogue raisonée, Benaki Museum, Athens 2007, no. 474, p. 156 (illustrated), p. 282 (illustrated), p. 444 (catalogued and illustrated).A magician whose creative imagination followed the footsteps of gods and heroes, Engonopoulos couldn't but be fascinated by the love story of Iro and Leandros.According to the Hellenistic myth, Iro, a beautiful young girl from Sestos dedicated by her parents to Aphrodite's service, lived in an isolated tower by the shores of the Hellespont. The maiden's beauty increased with the years and the fame of her loveliness passed over the straits and reached Abydos, hometown of the brave and handsome Leandros. Eventually the two youths met at a solemn festival in honour of the goddess, fell in love, and Leandros vowed to swim to Iro's sea-girt tower when the shades of night had fallen. To guide him safely across the straits she would light a lamp and hold it aloft. And so, the secret lovers maintained their passion through many summer nights. But when winter came and the sea grew stormy, they should have refrained from lighting the lamp. Yet, love and destiny compelled them, and the fatal night arrived. Leandros struggled with the waves but his strength failed him—and Iro's lamp was blown out by the wind. When the grey morning dawned over the tossing sea, Iro saw him lying dead at the foot of the tower. Devastated, she threw herself into the waves and perished by her lover's side.1The story of Iro and Leandros is found in folk tales and love lyrics across Europe and beyond. It is also depicted on Pompeiian frescoes, on a mosaic and a relief found in Tunisia, and on coins of Abydos and Sestos, the towns at the beginning and end of Leandros's legendary journey. Centuries later, in 1810, Lord Byron, inspired by the story, achieved the hero's feat of swimming across the Hellespont. Three years later, he wrote the following lines from his The Bride of Abydos:'The winds are high on Helle's wave,As on that night of stormy waterWhen Love, who sent, forgot to saveThe young, the beautiful, the braveThe lonely hope of Sestos' daughter.'2Engonopoulos portrays the couple's encounter at Iro's stonewall tower by the sea.3 Leandros, waded knee deep into the wavy waters of Hellespont in a full body bathing suit, reaches towards his naked lover—in a manner highly reminiscent of Theofilos's representations of Erotocritos reaching the balcony of his beloved Aretousa—while the lamp,4 which is the confidant of their secret loving, presides over the scene. Drawn from the treasury of Greek mythology, this artistic vision faithfully reflects Engonopoulos's attitude towards painting as an ideal vehicle to probe into the world of Greekness. As noted by theatre director and playwright Alexis Solomos, 'Engonopoulos can merge symbols of different origin and character, yet what is more astonishing with him is the all-prevailing spirit of Greece in his work. Every point of the universe, every moment in history is detached, through a magic power, from its geographical or historical setting and made to contribute to the predominant idea of the artist's own land.'5 As noted by the late Athens National Gallery Director M. Lambraki-Plaka, 'Engonopoulos's figures may draw their origin from Giorgio de Chirico but they are unmistakably Greek, reminiscent of the Minoans immortalised on the Knossos frescoes and the early kouroi, while alluding to the tall and slender formula of the Byzantine saints also evident in El Greco's work.'6 1 See M. Grant, Myths of the Greeks and the Romans, Mentor editions, New York, 1962, pp. 373-378; H.A. Guerber, The Myths of Greece and Rome, London, 1921, pp. 89-94. See also K. Perpinioti-Agazir, Nikos Engonopoulos, Mythology, Ypsilon editions, Athens 2006, p. 98. 2 Lord Byron, The Bride of Abydos, Canto the Second, I, 483-487.3 Compare Iro and Leandros, 1980.4 The lamp is a distinct and recurring theme in Engonopoulos's work with symbolic overtones (compare Hora ruit, 1939, Iro,1957, and Scholiasts of a future text, 1958 (sold by Bonhams, Greek Sale 24.11.21, lot 41).5 J. Lehman ed., New Writing and Daylight, New Direction editions, England 1946, p. 126.6 M. Lambraki-Plaka 'The Timeless Pantheon of Nikos Engonopoulos' [in Greek], Filologiki quarterly, no. 101, October-November-December 2007, p. 9.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Theofilos Hadjimichael (Greek, 1871-1934)La bataille de Kalambaka inscrit en grec (en haut et en bas)pigments naturels sur zinc51 x 71.5cm (20 1/16 x 28 1/8in).inscribed in Greek (on the upper and lower part) natural pigments on zincFootnotes:*Veuillez noter qu'en raison de la réglementation grecque, ce lot ne peut pas être exporté de Grèce et sera disponible pour consultation et inspection à Athènes sur rendez-vous ou lors de l'exposition à Athènes, du 8 au 11 novembre 2022. Cette œuvre restera à Athènes pendant la vente aux enchères.*Please note that due to Greek regulation, this lot cannot be exported from Greece and will be available for viewing and inspection in Athens either by appointment or during the Athens Preview, 8-11 November 2022. This work will be located in Athens during the auction.ProvenanceT. Eleftheriadis collection, Petra, Mytilene, Greece. Acquired from the above collection by the present owner. ExpositionsMytilene, Tourist Pavilion, The Painter Theofilos on Mytilene, October 7-30, 1962, no. 17 (listed in the exhibition catalogue).Athens, Athens Art Gallery, Theofilos, May 12-31, 1975, no. 2 (listed in the exhibition catalogue). LittératureT. Spiteris, 'Works in the Collection of Takis Eleftheriadis - Petra, Mytilene', handwritten list, July 1955, no. 5 (listed).Anti magazine, vol. 2, no. 20, May 31, 1975 (discussed, p. 48 and illustrated, p. 49). Theofilos, Commercial Bank of Greece edition, Athens 1966, no. 298 (illustrated).E. Papazachariou, The Other Theofilos, Kaktos editions, Athens 1997, pp. 126-127 (discussed).Tony Spiteris Archive, Tellogleion Art Institute, Photographs of Works by Theofilos Hadjimichael, p. 7, no. GR TITSpit 101102_148.'When I saw the Takis Eleftheriadis1 collection of Theofilos paintings hanging in his ample home in Petra, Mytilene, I was left with the impression that every single one of them was first rate.'2 - Odysseus Elytis'Just look at these Meteora, painted on a sheet of zinc, with their warm pinks and light blues giving shape to the rocks, with the dark blues of the uniforms animating the Battle of Kalambaka—a highly sophisticated harmony in two colours with just a few touches of red at the tip of the rocks and the Turkish garb'.3 - Alexandros XydisCrowned by the otherworldly rocky outcrops and majestic byzantine monasteries of Meteora, and captured in a style reminiscent of the representational conventions used by Dimitrios/Panayotis Zografos and General Ioannis Makriyannis, the painting displays a battle scene between a Greek military unit formation on the left, led by a moustached officer on horseback, and a batch of Turkish troops on the right.Based on the artist's lengthy inscription that frames the composition, the picture shows the victorious Battle of Kalambaka in which the Greeks, led by chieftains Christodoulos Hadjipetros and Nikolaos Leotsakos, defeated a force of Turks and Arabs in 1854. The fact that the horse rider on the left, sporting a large moustache and raising his sword, may be identified with Colonel Constantinos Smolenskis, the legendary hero of the 1897 Greek-Turkish war, shows how Theofilos, with his instinctive knowledge and keen sense of historical past, could easily migrate from one era to another, capturing bygone glory and heroism as a form of eternity constantly reborn in the present. His subject is treated more as a backdrop, allowing him to express his fascination with the idea of gallantry and heroic achievement without having to succumb to historical accuracy.History is filtered through the artist's rich imagination and transformed into the enthusiasm sparked in him by the wealth of costumes, shinning flintlock muskets, fiery red fezzes and dazzling white fustanella kilts, the same highland garb the painter himself wore when he left Smyrna for Athens to voluntarily enlist in the 1897 campaign and which eventually became his signature attribute. Possibly, the Greek pallikare at the centre of the composition4 is a self-portrait since he holds the flag with his left hand.5 Gallantry is indicated through the repetition of pictorial and iconographic conventions, an approach to painting rooted in Byzantine and folk tradition and reminiscent of the Karaghiozi shadow-puppets or descriptions found in demotic songs. The wealth of detail is a vehicle of initiation into the artist's vision; a means of rendering more tangible to the spectators' imagination the world of bravery and legend they are invited to contemplate. Moreover, the linear arrangement, the symmetry and rhythm of the composition and the impression of an immutable reality, take us further back to Archaic Greek vase painting and the narrative arrangement of that precursor of folk poetry, the Homeric epics -where all parts are generally set side by side in a paratactical presentation. All phenomena are thrust forward to the narrative surface where they receive even illumination in a flat, continuous present.6 As noted by critic and writer Ronald Crichton, 'Theofilos presents an unconscious synthesis of the Greek spirit—a lesson to historians who wilfully separate the various periods of Greek history.'7 1 'A citizen of Mytilene, Mr. Eleftheriadis, father of the Parisian art critic and publisher Teriade, took a liking for Theofilos's work and company and introduced him to his son and to a small circle of writers and art lovers in the town. Theofilos was encouraged to come to Eleftheriadis's house in the olive groves on the slopes above the town, to paint and to talk.' R. Crichton, 'Theofilos' Orpheus, vol. 2, London 1949, p. 156.2 O. Elytis, The Painter Theofilos [in Greek], Asterias editions, Athens 1973, p. 56.3.A. Xydis, 'Fine Arts Chronicle', Anti magazine, vol. 2, no. 20, May 31, 1975, p. 48.4 The scene's main protagonist is depicted at the centre of the composition, where the viewer's eye is usually drawn, as is the case with Byzantine painting, which lacking a vanishing point, allows the eye to freely wander and naturally focus on the middle of the painting. See P.A. Michelis, Aesthetic Approach to Byzantine Art [in Greek], Panayotis end Efi Michelis Foundation, Athens 1990, p. 203.5 See E. Papazachariou, The Other Theofilos [in Greek], Athens 1997, p. 127.6 See H. Kambouridis - G. Levounis, Modern Greek Art - The 20th Century, Athens 1999, p. 43.7 Crichton, p. 151.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Georgios Bouzianis (Greek, 1885-1959)Femme nue au chapeau rouge signé 'Busiany' (en bas à gauche); signé et daté 'Jo Busiany 1954'(au revers)huile sur toile115 x 76.5cm (45 1/4 x 30 1/8in).signed (lower left); signed and dated (on the reverse)oil on canvasFootnotes:ProvenanceThe artist's estate.ExpositionBrussels, Centre Culturel Mutualiste, Europalia 82, Giorgos Bouzianis, retrospective exhibition, September 1982. LittératureD. Deliyannis, Yorgos Bouzianis 1885-1959, Adam editions, Athens 1996, no. 191, p. 290 (catalogued), 140 (illustrated).'Bouzianis expressed a sensual joy in colour and form and a profound love for humanity which at first reminds one of the great Renoir. Whilst one can see the influence of the German expressionists, especially of Kokoschka and Jawlensky, Bouzianis was gentler and more compassionate. Most of his paintings are of single form, usually a partly clothed woman.In his draughtsmanship and handling of form he reveals his German inheritance. His colours, however, are entirely non-Teutonic. They sing their lovely gay hues, and it is a Mediterranean, Grecian song, full of sun and golden light. There is also a less easily defined pathos in the colour, for all its glowing beauty. In this mingling of joy and sadness, of sensuality, of movement and form, Bouzianis is a richly rewarding and complex artistic personality.' Charles S. Spencer, Studio magazine, London, 1960.1The nude woman in red hat, with her voluminous limbs and corporeal presence, fills the surface of the painting with a statuesque calm, generating tension between bodily volume and pictorial space in the vein of Picasso's 'classic phase', where the artist's predilection for plastic volumes in the treatment of the human figure was revived by his exposure to Greco-Roman sculpture. As keenly noted by Y. Tsarouchis, 'there is something classical in the works of Bouzianis, because for a Greek the classical is a natural state of mind.'2 Elaborating on this remark, Y. Psychopedis notes: 'Though he had assimilated the radical extremities of expressionism, Bouzianis transformed their pronounced gothic metaphysics to a discourse regarding the living human subject. His figures are tied to reality; they are not alienated as formless matter neither lose their identity becoming abstract, archetypal forms or nightmarish masks... His work emanates a nostalgia for the classical, a nostalgia for a lost and constantly sought balance.'3 A modern-day incarnation of eternal Venus or archetypal Eve, this starkly represented kore emerging from a shimmering ground of greens and purples becomes both a reflection of the sitter's inner life and the artist's intense response to the subject. Treated in a frank and direct manner and rendered explicitly in all its glory, the female nude—one of Bouzianis's favourite subjects after 1926—reflects the artist's firm belief that art should be a vehicle for emotional states rather than a process of beautification. Leaving clear traces of a vigorous painting process, the picture pulsates with strong feeling and crackling energy, yet is continuously subordinated to aesthetic demands and disciplined by artistic intelligence. This inexhaustible vitality and incessant pulsating rhythm animate every part of the canvas, making it look like a vibrating star bathed in its own light.4 1C.S. Spencer, 'George Bousianis', Studio magazine, London, vol. 159, no. 806, June 1960, p. 206.2 Y. Tsarouchis, preface to Bouzianis-Watercolours [in Greek], Agra-The Friends of Bouzianis edition, Athens 1982, p. 12. 3 Y. Psychopedis, 'The Militant Introversion, Expressive Lyricism and Critical Spirit in the Work of Bouzianis' [in Greek] in Nostos, Kedros editions, Athens 2009, pp. 228-229. 4 See G. Mourelos, 'Bouzianis's Technique' [in Greek], Kathimerini daily, Epta Imeres, October 27, 1996, p. 28.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A Fine Cupping Set with Scarificator, English, c.1840-1850, unsigned, lacquered brass and steel scarificator with 12 blades (in good working order), in fitted case with hand-blown cupping glass with ground-out pontil base, brass spirit burner with wick, bottle with ground glass stopper, all in velvet and silk lined cylindrical case covered in embossed black Morocco leather, case 20cm
FINE AND IMPRESSIVE GEORGE VI SILVER FIVE-PIECE TEA AND COFFEE SERVICE,maker The Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company Ltd., London 1936-1937, comprising teapot, coffee pot, sugar bowl, cream jug and tea kettle on stand, each of baluster form with double-C scroll handle, chased with scroll and foiliate detail, on domed foot, the coffee pot 22cm high, approx. 4,300gCondition generally good. Minor wear as per light use and age. The service has been regularly cleaned. There is a minor wobble to the spirit stand. No inscriptions.
GEORGE V SILVER FIVE-PIECE TEA AND COFFEE SERVICE,maker Walker & Hall, Sheffield 1924-27, comprising teapot, coffee pot, spirit kettle on stand, sugar bowl and milk jug, each engarved initial 'M', of oblong form with scalloped rim, on four cabriole feet, the coffee pot 24cm high, approx. 3300g gross
Victorian silver spirit kettle on stand, the kettle of spherical form with basal gadrooning, ebonised handle and finial, 18.5cm high, 558g all-in, on original silver stand with three scroll supports with palmette feet, 241g, both with sponsors mark of Charles Stuart Harris, London, 1886, 799g all-in (ex. silver-plated burner reservoir), 25.5cm high overall
* Doyle (Arthur Conan, 1859-1930). Author, creator of Sherlock Holmes and writer on spiritualism. Autograph Letter Signed, ‘Arthur Conan Doyle’, The Compton Arms Hotel, Minstead letterhead, 9 December 1925, to Mrs Thorn, sending her an assortment of pamphlets (not present), discussing in detail, spirit phenomena, his own psychic experiences and further mentioning the infamous ‘Margery’ case, ‘…When your friend goes into a trance ask…who is the young man’s Guide…When any new entity visits or speaks you will say ‘Do you believe in God?… We - my wife and I - got a direct voice the other day at our second sitting for it. A clear ‘Good evening’ came from above our heads. We were thrilled…. I don’t know if you have followed the Margery case and the persecution of Mrs Crandon in Boston…’, very light stain to bottom of first page with no loss of legibility, 2 pages in a close hand, 8voQTY: (1)NOTE:Mina ‘Margery’ Crandon (1888-1941) was a Boston medium who found herself embroiled in one of the most bitter controversies in American psychic research. Her followers claimed that she was one of the greatest mediums who ever lived, while her critics called her a fraud: her most famous being the escapologist Harry Houdini whose obsessive crusade against her almost cost him his own career. In his introduction to a substantial article in the Boston Herald (26 January 1925) and published shortly after the present letter was written, Conan Doyle wrote – ‘It is Christmas morning and I sit at a table which is heaped with documents and photographs. They are the dossier of the Crandon case. Perhaps one should not work on Xmas day and yet there is no day so holy that one may not use it for the fight for truth, the exposure of evil and the defence of the honour of a most estimable lady. The Margery case will live in history and it is perhaps fitting that I should have some hand in the record since the matter was in a double sense of my begetting.’ The ‘Margery’ book to which Doyle refers in this letter, is likely to be J. Malcolm Bird’s “Margery” The Medium, (1925), which was written in support of ‘Margery’ Crandon.Conan Doyle became absorbed by spiritualism in later life, writing and lecturing on the subject. Interestingly, Conan Doyle was eventually buried in the churchyard of All Saints in Minstead Village having previously been buried vertically in Crowborough.A letter of excellent content and apparently unpublished.
Montgomery (Bernard Law, 1887-1976). British Field Marshal of War War II. Personal message from the Army Commander (to be read out to all troops) issued in Tunisia, 14 May 1943, a printed message on buff paper, outlined eight numbered points, the first being 'Now that the campaign in Africa is finished I want to tell you all, my soldiers, how intensely proud I am of what you have done', and ending with 'together, you and I, we will see this thing through to the end', Montgomery's printed name at foot, signed in black ink at head, 'B L Montgomery / General', a little age wear and several marginal splits, two small tears with blank loss including upper right corner and lower left margin, not affecting signature or text, original fold lines, one page, 4to (25.5 x 20.5 cm) QTY: (1)NOTE:A rare signed survival, this being one of a series of similar leaflets issued by Montgomery to the Eighth Army as it fought its way from Alamein to Tunisia between August 1942 and May 1943. Montgomery explained that the intention of these personal messages was 'to define the common objective and thereby foster unity of purpose.. I like to think that these messages did much to foster the spirit and will-to-win...' (El Alamein to the River Sangro).
* The Wreck of the Glencairn. An original manuscript account describing the events of the wreck of the Glencairn, by apprentice seaman Colin C. Watson, c. 1907, written up after the event in a fair hand, describing the events from leaving Rochester bound for Portland, Oregon, striking a rock off Tierra del Fuego, losing two crew members and the ensuing events on shore, a little spotting and creasing, old pin to top corner, 13 pages (over 3,000 words) on 13 leaves, 4to, together with a testimonial for Colin C. Watson serving as an apprentice in the "Glencairn" and "Fifeshire" for a period of 12 months, signed by the Master, John Nichol, one page, 4to, plus a contemporary cabinet card photograph of the young Colin C. Watson in naval attire, slightly trimmed at foot of mountQTY: (3)NOTE:A harrowing eye-witness account of the wreck of the Glencairn by an apprentice on board. The Glencairn left Rochester on 9 May 1907, bound for Seattle, with twenty-five crew plus the Master's wife and child, the boat carrying 2,375 tons of cement. It struck rock off Tierra del Fuego and the party was forced to abandon ship, two crew members being lost when leaving. The letter carries on to describe Watson's version of the story until their fortuitous rescue by Lucas Bridges. Bridges gives his own account of events when he encountered the shipwrecked party in his autobiography 'Uttermost Part of the Earth' (1948). Chapter 46, pp. 463-72.Watson was to continue his naval career, serving as a P & O Captain for some thirty years. See following lot.A full transcription of this manuscript is available on request.Selected extracts:' We were to go through the Maine Strait between Hadon Island and the mainland (Tiera del Fuoga). I happened to be at the wheel at the time we were making the entrance of the strait. Suddenly a furious snow squall sprung up and the land was obliterated from view. I noticed a slight shock followed by a heavier one and say out to the Captain “We are on the ground Sir”. The next instant we had crashed upon a sunken ?, and the men came running aft in response to the shrill whistle of the First Mate summoning them. The squall was but the precursor of a typical Cape Horn Blow. Wind and sea increased rapidly and soon the decks were being swept by heavy seas which thundered over the poor old stricken ‘Glencairn’ smashing up rails, doors etc. and smashing everything moveable over the side. With terrible difficulty we succeeded in launching our two lifeboats. One was taken forward and then commenced the task of loading the boat. The Captains wife and child and the Stewardess were about to be lowered into the boat in which three men were busy fending her off the ships side when a huge sea capsized her carrying away the panels? by which she was secured to the ship. Powerless to help we saw one of our unfortunate shipmates drown before of our eyes, one man had disappeared entirely whilst the other had succeeded in clambering up on the overturned boats stern and sticking his feet in the lifelines clung desperately to the heel. He soon drifted out of sight into the whirly snowstorm.The Captain then called for volunteers to go off in the sole remaining lifeboat to attempt a rescue. The foreign element in the crew objected to this. I pleaded that it was madness to risk the lives of all in an attempt to recover one man. I pointed out that should the boat be lost we should all inevitably drown. They asked him if he wished to imperil the lives of his wife and child. He quietly replied that while there was a chance to save the man he would see that some effort was made and ordered away the boat in search. Then followed a scene which is terrible to relate. Half mad with fear and convinced of their doom they broke into a whisky case they had pilfered from the lazaretto? whilst provisioning the boats. Sea ? continues to sweep the decks and one by one they fell dead drunk their bodies washing about the decks.''The second mate explained the impossibility of landing, heavy seas and precipitous cliffs, and then for the first time did the Captains wife break down. Throughout all the previous horrors she had maintained a calm courage – an unwavering faith that God would save her and the dear ones - and now at last the appalling hours in the open boat, and the apparently hopeless possibility of being saved crushed her hitherto plucky spirit. Yet another ghastly night we spent, the vessel noticeably sinking beneath us. Early the next morning before daylight the first mate and I crawled down the fore hold? to see how the water was forward. It was a ghastly sight. Muddy dark water swishing about the hold and thousands of rats squealing with fear perched all round the slingers?. The feeble light from our lantern accentuated the horror of it - the rats did the rest. We both lost nerve and made a rush to get on deck again. When daylight broke we were labouring and wallowing in a still heavy sea and the water nearly up to our scuppers. We then launched the dinghy - a mere cockleshell - and one by one filled the lifeboat and the remainder by the dinghy. It was a dangerous business - poising oneself on the rail and then taking a flying leap into the boat.''To my astonishment I saw the Captain who was ahead of me endeavouring to make himself understood to a couple of natives. Huge fellows they were, both of them well over six feet; clad only in a guanaco skin - carrying bows and arrows, and accompanied by two exceedingly gaunt and hungry looking dogs. They were quite friendly - much to our relief – for we had understood that the natives had cannibalistic proclivities. They belonged to a wandering Tribe of Ona and their Chief being able to speak a little Argentine helped matters a lot, one of our crew being also able to speak the language. They conducted us to a gap in the cliffs and soon found ourselves at their encampment, consisting of a few wigwams and populated by about twenty natives - men women and children.''I was in the search party, going down to the shore was just in time to see our old ship break up. The foremast fell forward followed by the main. The riggers fell aft and an hour later the jigger disappeared. Then she broke up completely and by afternoon the shoreline a couple of miles was strewn with wreckage. I made an excellent “find” - a drowned hen, and a piece of salt pork which I carried in triumph to the camp. Unfortunately very little of an edible nature washed ashore. My only rival as a caterer being an A.B. who had got a dead pig.For a week we existed in this manner eking out our scanty stores with mussels and shell fish gathered on the rocks. We also killed a sea lion portions of which we ate. The natives were good to us and gave us portions of a guanaco they had shot. Our cooking was somewhat primitive. We cut sharp twigs? And sticking a piece of meat on the end held it in the fire and then holding it in our fingers gnawed the “charred” outside “raw inside” flesh. The shell fish soon became nauseous and the sodden biscuits were getting “horribly less” as the 2nd mate put it and so the Captain and his AB interpreter held a conversation with the natives. We then learnt that many miles up country lived a man named Bridges engaged in sheep farming. The 2nd mate and one AB, therefore set out with an Indian guide to endeavour to find this white man. Succour from the reward? was impossible and on the hope that these two would bring us help rested our hopes.'
Two Victorian silver mounted horn spirit flasks, both of conical form, the first with mark of Williamson & Horton (John Henry Williamson & John Spinks Horton), London 1868, bayonet fitting cap with gadroon rim and safety chain, 6cm diameter at the base, 24cm high; the second with mark of Chawner & Co. (George William Adams), London 1880, with bayonet fitting captive cap, 5.5cm diameter at the base, 24cm high (2)1 - Bayonet fitting works well. Some surface scratches to the silver areas, as to be expected. Horn appears in good condition and free of damage. Glass bottom appears secure and free of damage. Hallmarks a bit rubbed but readable.2 - Bayonet fitting works well, though a little loose. Some surface scratches to the silver areas, as to be expected. Horn appears in good condition, though somewhat 'dry' and lacking the lustre of the other example. 'Tortoiseshell' bottom appears secure and free of damage. Hallmarks a bit rubbed, but readable.
Diecast model vehicles to include a Corgi Aviation Archive AA31502 Bristol Britannia 312F XX-367 Team Spirit A&AEE Boscombe Down airplane boxed, four EFE Exclusive First Editions bus models to include 28102, 28005, 22704 and 27505, two Corgi Caramel Scania Short Wheelbase Lorries, etc., each boxed. (10)
GLENTURRET In Spirit 15 year old single malt Scotch whisky, limited edition bottle number 147/280, 40% abv. 70cl boxed. The Premium Collection, a set of six miniatures to include MACALLAN 10 year old, HIGHLAND PARK 12 year old, BUNNAHABHAIN 12 year old etc. also a The Classic Malts, a set of six whisky miniatures. (3)
A Horn Topped Engraved Walking Cane, leather wrist ferrule, brass tip 92cm long, a Malacca cane with white metal topped six profiles of bearded men, brass tip, 82cm long a copper and brass lidded walking cane handle, depicting a Roman soldier, women and cherubs, the lid lifts to reveal a folding spirit cup, 85cm long (3).
Pete Best signed Beatles collection or Four 2007 Internetstamps FDCs. Each has different pair of stamps and cachets, Spirit of 60s, Cavern Club, Abbey Road, Penny Lane postmarks. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99
Kadhim Hayder (Iraq, 1932-1985)A Love Deeper than All Love (Wa hawa aemaq min kuli hawa) , from the Epic of the Martyr Series oil on canvas, framedsigned 'K.HADAR' and dated '1963' (lower left), executed in 1963100 x 70cm (39 3/8 x 27 9/16in).Footnotes:'A LOVE DEEPER THAN ALL LOVE'A RARE AND MAGNIFICENT PAINTING FROM KADHIM HAYDER'S MARTYRS EPIC, FROM THE COLLECTION OF PROFESSOR ABDUL AZIZ HAMEED, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE IRAQI STATE BOARD OF ANTIQUITIES 'The horse represents the knight, keeping with the popular belief that the horse carries the spirit of the knight after his martyrdom'- Kadhim Hayder'The exhibition of The Epic of the Martyr took place in circumstances that were politically and culturally complicated; it turned the idea of martyrdom into a modern symbol that cried out in tragedy apart from any religious interpretation.'- Dia al-AzzawiProvenance:Property from the collection of Dr Abdul Aziz Hameed, Canada, former Professor at the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad (1960's), and former President of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (2004-2010),Acquired directly by the above from the artist in 1965Exhibited:The Marty's Epic, Kadhim Hayder, Baghdad National Museum, 1965 (the present work is composition No.6 from the cycle)The Marty's Epic, Kadhim Hayder, Sursock Museum, Beirut 1965Published:Review of the Epic of the Martyr, Al Thawra Al Arabiyya, Anwar Al-Ghasani, May 7th 1965, illustratedKul Al-Funoon, May 26th 1965, illustratedAl-Balad, April 28th 1965, illustratedOne of the artists most touching and tender compositions, 'A Love Deeper than All Love' is a seminal painting by Iraq's most enigmatic modern artist, Kadhim Hayder. Part of Hayder's major body of work focusing on the Battle of Karbala and death of Imam Hussein known as the 'Marty's Epic', the present painting was exhibited at the artists landmark shows in the National Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad and Beirut in 1965 as well as being one of the most heavily featured works from the cycle, appearing in no less than three major press reviews at the time Being offered in the market for the first time, the work comes from the prestigious private collection of one of Hayder's oldest friends; Professor Abdul Aziz Hameed. The two became acquainted during their studies at SOAS in the 1950's, subsequently becoming colleagues at the Baghdad Faculty of fine Arts in the 1960's, Hameed then went on to become President of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, the painting has been in his collection for over half a century. Extremely rare and possibly unique within the Martyr's Cycle, Hayder's composition in 'A Love Deeper than All Love', focuses on a romantic and deeply personal subject matter rather than the bloody battle of Karbala itself or the martyrdom of its protagonist, Imam Hussein. In the present work, Hussein is depicted as an anthropomorphised horse together with this Persian wife Shahbanu as the two are rendered standing affectionately side by side, in perhaps what is Hayder's most intimate take on the fabled story. Legend states that Shahbanu was present during the battle of Karbala, but includes a miraculous aspect to the story. It states that prior to his death, Husayn gave Shahrbanu his horse and bid her to escape back to her homeland in Persia. She was closely pursued by Yazid's soldiers and as she approached the mountains surrounding Rey, she tried to call out to God in desperation. However, in her exhaustion she misspoke and rather than saying 'Yallahu!' (Oh God!), she said 'Ya kuh!' (Oh mountain!). The mountain then miraculously opened and she rode into it, leaving behind only a piece of her veil which had gotten caught as the chasm closed behind her. This became an object of veneration, with the area becoming a shrine as well as a popular pilgrimage siteSaleem Al Bahloly: The Epic of the Martyr: 'Haidar began working on the series in 1963 shortly after returning from London where he had studied printmaking and stage-design at the Royal College of Art. On the one hand, the paintings were a continuation of the interests of artists in the 1950s: in the inspiration Haidar found in popular culture and in his adoption of certain pictorial devices from ancient Assyrian sculpture to modern art (associated with the Baghdad Group for Modern Art) as well as in his concern with political struggles for justice (associated with the Pioneers art group). On the other hand, however, Haidar opened a new horizon for the practice of art by structuring the paintings around an act of symbolism.The paintings are composed of horses and warriors, wielding spears and swords and bearing banners and shields, that are positioned on a flat, mythical landscape. This imagery was drawn from the annual taʿziya celebrations that mourn the martyrdom of al-Husayn and other members of the Prophet's family in a stand-off with the Umayyad army in 680 AD; in particular, the imagery is taken from the processions in which a pageant of costumed figures representing characters from the battle fought on the 'plain' west of the Euphrates parade through the street accompanying poets who narrate in a vernacular tradition of verse the injustice suffered by the Prophet's family.In the paintings, this imagery has been reconstructed according to a variety of devices inspired by a range of sources: the bodies of the horses and figures are turned toward the viewer, as if they are appearing on a stage or in an ancient frieze depicting a historic battle; a sense of performance is carried into the image by the intense expressivity of their gestures which seem to dissolve anatomical features and the outline of shapes in a fervour of emotion; the limbs of human and animal bodies alike are often multiplied (an influence of Assyrian sculptural reliefs that Haider almost certainly saw at the British Museum in London) and tapered (a form of modelling inspired by the sculpture of Henry Moore).The reconstructed imagery is arranged in the paintings not to narrate a historical event but to elaborate a concept of the martyr that emerged out of that event—a hero who by his death in a struggle for truth paradoxically triumphs. Haidar developed this concept of the martyr in painting by focusing on the symbolic relation between the fallen martyr and his horse. As he explained to the newspaper al-Jumhuriyya in 1965: 'the horse represents the knight, keeping with the popular belief that the horse carries the spirit of the knight after his martyrdom.' That symbolism is present in the mourning processions where al-Husayn is represented by a riderless white horse; but it has its roots in a legend that, when al-Husayn's horse saw his beheaded corpse, it circled around his body, rubbed its head in his blood, let out a ferocious whine and killed forty men.The paintings in The Epic of the Martyr were different sizes [they] reflect, as Dia al-ʿAzzawi has written, Haidar's desire to collapse the distinction between gallery and street, and between art and ritual, by reproducing the atmosphere of the folk celebration inside the museum. To that end, for the exhibition in 1965, Haidar composed a poem in which each line corresponded to a painting in the series, in this way reproducing the coupling of pageant and poetry in the mourning processions.This attempt to go beyond the conventional materials of painting, in order to use the artwork to stage an experience that is not only visual but also emotive, makes The Epic of the Martyr one of the earliest pieces of contemporary art in the Middle East.'Saleem Al-Bahloly received a PhD from the University of Californi... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Ring bound booklet, Bob Blau's World of Magic and the secret of The Spirit Cabinet A guarded secret revealed for the first time 1970,Lecture Demain Lecture 1, The New Georgia Magnet Act Thomas Jorgson A compendium of effects, Compendium close up Stephen Tucker 1984, 1972, Straight Line Mysteries by Artur Setterington
CHOPARD, HAPPY SPIRIT, A DIAMOND AND 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD PENDANTThe circular glazed pendant containing mobile interconnecting brilliant cut diamond set hoops, with a brilliant cut diamond border, approximately 3.35 carats total, stamped Chopard and numbered 79/5430/0-20 and 2808093, stamped 750 with Swiss control mark and common convention mark, suspended from a triple row of belcher link chains, to a lobster claw clasp, with rectangular panel signed Chopard, with Swiss control mark and common convention markSize/dimensions: pendant 4.2cm diameter, chain 60cm long Gross weight: 43.3 gramsCondition Report: There is some light wear to the setting, scuffs, there is an area of chipping/nibbling to the upper glazed panel about 1mm diameter, further small pinpoint nicks to the panel, a few scratches. Approximately 3.35 carats of diamonds total. Condition Report Disclaimer
United States of America: a small collection of bronze commemorative medals, comprising: The Spirit of Aviation 1928, Roanoke Tower Chicago, rectangular souvenir, 32 mm, very fine; Detroit's 250th Birthday Festival 1951, 72 mm, a view of the city, rev. Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in the prow of a canoe, very fine or better; The Spirit of Detroit, presented by Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh, 63 mm, male figure after Marshall Fredericks, rev. city seal, about extremely fine; Firemen's Insurance Company of Newark New Jersey, 100th anniversary 1955, 75 mm, arms and dates, rev. company office building and legend, this and two previous medals by Medallic Art Co New York, about very fine; Trumbull Connecticut 175th anniversary 1972, 39 mm, in original packet, extremely fine. [5]
TWO BOXED CORGI TOYS CARS, Golden Jacks wheels Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, No.273, white over blue/grey version, complete with spare wheel and Spirit of Ecstasy, Whizzwheels Bentley T Series, No.274, both appear complete and in good condition with only minor paint loss, marking and wear, No. 273 in yellow and blue window box, the other in yellow and red window box which are all complete but have some minor damage, marking and wear, minor crush damage to cellophane, both with Corgi Club leaflets
A Victorian silver miniature spirit warming pan, Fenton Brothers Ltd, Sheffield 1899, the saucepan shaped tapered circular bowl engraved with a crest of an eagle with wings spread and wheat stem in beak upon a wheatsheaf, with motto 'Loyal Devoir' (Loyal Duty), upon a tapering plain polished handle, 11.5cm long, weight 1.28ozt
James Earley (British, B.1981)Tawid signed 'J Earley' lower rightoil on canvas, framed77.8 x 57.5cm (30 5/8 x 22 5/8in).Footnotes:'I remember seeing a video of Tawhid and being magnetised by his smile and his enthusiasm as he took his first steps. He was surrounded by his friends and family who seemed mesmerised by each small step and I could sense their pride for this brave little boy. Born with cerebral palsy, 13-year-old Tawhid developed locomotor disability and was unable to stand. In remote villages and chars of Bangladesh, disability is often seen as a curse or a penance for their parents' sins. He needed assistance for the most basic of activities, like getting out of bed or going to the bathroom. His disability prevented him from going to school or playing with other children. Disabled children had no real help and no real hope. Friendship's physiotherapists began therapy in his home, visiting every two weeks and prescribing exercises. Tawhid showed incredible improvement in a short time—first learning to stand, and then to walk. His determination and spirit were inspirational.' (James Earley, James Earley's website)For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Biswajit Goswami (Bangladeshi, B.1981)Boats of Shadhorghat signed and dated Biswajit '12 lower rightoil on paper, framed48.2 x 76cm (19 x 29 15/16in).Footnotes:'Sadarghat is the busiest and closest river port of Dhaka, the vibrant capital of Bangladesh. I recall my senses being consumed by the sights, sounds and essence of this vast, open space in 2012. Bustling with human and mechanical activities from the nearby ship-breaking industry, along with rhythmic movements of maritime vessels and boats, one pleasantly endures the aura of its surrounding land and waterbody. Peals of pounding metal from a distance create ripples and tremors on the soil beneath my feet; the wind adapting the ebb and flow of the human spirit, vibrations are felt all around. The wind, blowing in all its spontaneity, imposed a unique atmospheric beauty which granted fresh artistic expression and reflection. It transformed the art process from one medium to another; turpentine instead of water; sharp lines to soft edges; the delicate touch of fingertips triumphing over fleeting strokes of brushes. The most important part of this process was drawing constant parallels between the beauty of nature, and ruins of man.' (Biswajit Goswami, October 2022)This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Glyn Warren Philpot R.A. (British, 1884-1937)The Sisters of the Artist signed and dated 'Glyn Philpot 1922' (lower left)oil on canvas142.3 x 111 cm. (56 x 43 3/4 in.)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe Artist, thence by descent to the present ownerPrivate Collection, U.K.ExhibitedLondon, Royal Academy of Arts, The exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, 1 May-7 August 1922, cat.no.145London, Grosvenor Galleries, Paintings and Sculpture by Glyn Philpot R.A., 1923, cat.no.11 (as The Sisters)Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Fifty-first Autumn Exhibition, 1923, cat.no.1067Wembley, British Empire Exhibition, 1925, cat.no.49New York, World's Fair, Contemporary British Art, 1939, cat.no.100Brighton, Brighton Art Gallery, Glyn Philpot R.A., 1884-1937, 3 April-3 May 1953, cat.no.12London, Leighton House, Drawings, Paintings and Sculpture by Glyn Warren Philpot R.A. 1884-1937, 7-28 February 1959 (followed by tour with Art Exhibitions Bureau, 1959-60), cat.no.31Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Glyn Philpot R.A., 1884-1937; A Commemorative Exhibition, 15 September-28 November 1976, cat.no.12London, National Portrait Gallery, Glyn Philpot 1884-1937; Edwardian Aesthete to Thirties Modernist, 9 November 1984-10 February 1985, cat.no.31Chichester, Pallant House Gallery, Glyn Philpot: Flesh and Spirit, 14 May-23 October 2022LiteratureRoyal Academy Illustrated, 1922, p.2 (ill.b&w)Daisy Philpot, Manuscript Catalogue of Portraits by Glyn Philpot, c.1938-57, p.5 (ill.)A.C.Sewter, Glyn Philpot 1884-1937, (foreword by T Bodkin), 1951, pl.40 (ill.)Robin Gibson, Glyn Philpot 1984-1937 Edwardian Aesthete to Thirties Modernist, National Portrait Gallery Exhibition Catalogue, London, 1984, pp.62-63, ill.col p.20 and b&w p.63Simon Martin and Alan Hollinghurst, Glyn Philpot: Flesh and Spirit, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, 2022, p.46, fig.36 (col.ill)Philpot's important painting The Sisters of the Artist depicts two of his elder siblings, Daisy (right) and Gertrude (left). At this period Philpot often used family and close contacts as models, but the titles he gave to pictures such as the present work and Gabrielle and Rosemary, Nieces of the Artist (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) underlines the importance of these specific sitters to him. As Robin Gibson comments 'Philpot was the youngest member of the family. His sisters were both extremely fond of him, and Daisy in particular was often called upon to pose for him. Gertrude was born at the family home - 31 The Grove, Clapham - in 1879. She married Clement Cross in 1907 and died in 1957. Daisy, who was three years younger, was also born in Clapham. Remaining unmarried, she devoted much of her life to her brother's interests, even after his death. She died in the same year as her sister.' (Robin Gibson, exh.cat., Glyn Philpot 1984-1937 Edwardian Aesthete to Thirties Modernist, National Portrait Gallery Exhibition Catalogue, London, 1984, pp.62-63).Gibson commented further that the work itself is 'almost wilfully conservative in its very Shannonesque colouring and the rather Victorian feel of the long dresses, it has a haunting, timeless quality and almost existentialist atmosphere of resignation which could only belong to the twentieth century' (Ibid.).When the painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1922 the Evening Standard judged it as 'the outstanding work of genius'. The following year The Sisters of the Artist was included in Philpot's first major solo exhibition, which also received rapturous acclaim. The critic P.G Konody declared 'Few living artists could emerge from the ordeal of a one-man show as triumphantly as Mr Glyn Philpot whose exhibition at the Grosvenor Galleries reveals not only a craftsman of the rarest distinction, but an artist who can turn from penetrating and conscientious portraiture to lofty imaginative conceptions' (P.G. Konody, Daily Mail, 14 April 1923).The Sisters of the Artist has subsequently enjoyed an impressive exhibition history. Outings include the World's Fair in New York in 1939 (alongside Henry Moore's Recumbent Figure – see note for lot 24), the major 1953, 1976 & 1985 artist retrospectives, and most recently at this year's Glyn Philpot: Flesh and Spirit exhibition at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Dame Elisabeth Frink R.A. (British, 1930-1993)Lying Down Horse signed and numbered 'Frink/9/9' (on the underside)bronze with a dark brown patina36.3 cm. (14 1/4 in.) longConceived in 1978Footnotes:ProvenanceWith Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, where acquired by the present ownerPrivate Collection, South AfricaLiteratureJill Willder (ed.), Elisabeth Frink Sculpture Catalogue Raisonné, Salisbury, 1984, pp.188-9, cat.no.241 (ill.b&w., another cast)Annette Ratuszniak (ed.), Elisabeth Frink, Catalogue Raisonné of Sculpture 1947-93, Lund Humphries, London, 2013, p.139, cat.no.FCR271 (ill.b&w, another cast)'The horse sculptures are nothing to do with the horses you see here in England – the hunter, the showhorse, the racehorse. They're much more to do with the ancient spirit of the horse and with this its evolution in relation to man. The animals I make are far more what I feel for them than what they are in real life. I'm imprecise about the muscles ... I'm much more interested in the spirit of the animal. I get into the inside of the animal, and the outside takes care of itself.' (Annette Ratuszniak (ed.), Elisabeth Frink, Catalogue Raisonné of Sculpture 1947-93, Lund Humphries, London, 2013, p.124).Frink's affection for horses stemmed from her country childhood in Suffolk; her father was a brilliant horseman, a good polo player and an amateur jockey, which may well have added to an enthusiasm which continued throughout her life. Frink though stated 'The fact that I was brought up with horses and taught to ride at an early age had no bearing on the horses I did in France. Those came about because I discovered the Camargue. I actually bought a horse, not having ridden myself for years – I bought one for my son to ride. So then I had a horse about. I used to go down to the Camargue and ride with the local cowboys.' (Ibid., p.118).The Camargue horses are characterised by their large head, slight size, long limbs and small wide-set ears. They live in semi-feral conditions in the wild marshes and wetlands, where the local Gardian 'cowboys' use them to herd the black Camargue bulls, used for bullfighting in the southern region of France. Traditionally the (now protected) wild white horses are pictured galloping through the shallow waters, conjuring up a majestic and romantic image, which relates to Frink's strong and elegant depiction of the animal in the present lot.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Eileen Agar (British, 1899-1991)Phoenix signed 'AGAR' (lower right)oil on canvas46.2 x 56 cm. (18 1/8 x 22 in.)Footnotes:ProvenanceWith the New Art Centre, London, where acquired by the family of the present ownerPrivate Collection, U.K.'Life's meaning is lost without the spirit of play.'(Eileen Agar)Eileen Agar (1899-91) was born in Buenos Aires to a wealthy family but moved to England for her education and in 1921 she joined the Slade School for Art before travelling to Paris at the end of the decade. It was here that she met Max Ernst (1891-1976), Joan Miró (1893-1983), and André Breton (1896-1966), among others and discovered the Surrealist movement, as well as being trained in Cubism. She was drawn by the sensuality and irrationality of Surrealism, as well as the idealism and logic of Cubism but did not subscribe to the radical politics of her European counterparts and disliked how the group behaved towards women.Stylistically, Phoenix may be dated to circa 1932, a pivotal time of change for the artist and one that set her on her course to later widespread acclaim. The artist commented of this time 'I started to show my work, and in 1932 exhibited with the National Society of Painters, Sculptors, Engravers and Potters, at the Royal Institute Galleries in Piccadilly. My first press cuttings are from this show, and I was at once ambitious for more. My work was changing and beginning to assume a more lyrical and imaginative presence of its own. As I grew in confidence I was impatient to have my work seen by a larger public'. (Eileen Agar, A Look at My Life, Methuen, London, 1988, p.102). In the present example, this imaginative presence takes the form of the mythological Phoenix, an immortal bird, heavily abstracted and rising triumphantly in an explosion of colour and form.In 1936, Agar was invited by Herbert Read and Roland Penrose to exhibit work at the International Surrealist Exhibition at the New Burlington Galleries, London. The notoriety of the exhibition raised her public profile considerably and, in 1937, she was one of the few artists asked to submit work for the Fantastic Art, Dada and Surrealism exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
GERÓNIMO BENETE (Valladolid, 1629-1707)."Holy Family".Oil on canvas.Signed in the lower left corner.It has faults, craquelure and marks on the stretcher. It needs restoration.Measurements: 83 x 62 cm; 100 x 80 cm (frame).Antonio Palomino quoted Gerónimo Benete in the book "Museo pictórico y escala óptica" when defending painting as a liberal art. He was a Jesuit painter trained as an apprentice in the workshop of Gabriel de Palacios. There are examples of his work in churches and monasteries in Valladolid. This canvas depicts the Holy Family, with the Child in the middle holding hands with his mother on the right. To his left is the figure of Joseph, also offering his hand to the Child, and holding in the other the flowering branch which is his main iconographic attribute. Above them is the space of glory, with a golden background and bordered with clouds, and in the centre are God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, which flies above the Child's head. Around God are several fluttering child angels. Thus, the centre of the composition is the Trinity, with the figures arranged vertically, while the composition is formally and iconographically balanced by the trio of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, placed horizontally on the same plane. Although the painter sought a smooth transition between the two planes, earth and sky appear clearly differentiated and delimited, an element that would change in the full Baroque period, when the aim was to achieve total unification of space. In the true sense of the expression, the Holy Family is a much more restricted group than Mary's family. It includes only the closest relatives of the Child Jesus, i.e. mother and grandmother or mother and nurturing father. In both cases, whether it is St. Anne or St. Joseph who carries him, it is a group of three figures. The group including St Joseph with Mary and the Child is most commonly understood as the Holy Family. This motif became popular in the Renaissance, although the germ already existed in the Nativities of the Middle Ages. However, devotion to the Holy Family did not yet exist at that time, as the theme spread mainly through the art of the Counter-Reformation, which encouraged its cult. Within the iconography of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, this canvas belongs to the type depicting the two Trinities. It was a frequent theme in the 17th century, especially in France and the Netherlands, and represents the earthly Trinity placed under the protection of the heavenly Trinity.
Sayed Haider Raza (Indian, 1922-2016)Les Rochers signed and dated 'Raza 69' lower centre, further signed, dated, titled and inscribed Raza/P_782 '69/Les Rochers/10F and 'SHR-26' verso and 'YK520 CIN' on the stretcheroil on canvas54.7 x 46cm (21 9/16 x 18 1/8in).Footnotes:CELEBRATING SAYED HAIDER RAZA'S BIRTH CENTENARY AND 75 YEARS OF THE PROGRESSIVE ARTISTSProvenanceAcquired by the owner from Galerie Lara Vincy, Paris (acquired directly from the artist;Private Collection, France (acquired from the above)Christies, South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art,11th June 2012, lot 55.Acquired by the current owner from the above.LiteratureAnne Macklin (ed.), SH Raza, Catlogue Raisonné 1958-1971 (Volume I), Vadehra Art Gallery & he Raza Foundation, New Delhi, 2016, p. 173 (illustrated)A fascinating aspect of Raza's long career lies in how he evolved at least three different modes of abstraction – and their particular reflection on his own life and experiences.At the time of painting these small works, Raza was going through one of the most significant periods of his painterly career. His stint at the JJ school, the early years in Paris and his exposure the life of an artist in post war Europe was already behind him. This phase may well have started during the early 1960s, when he travelled to the University of California at Berkeley from France and experienced for the first time the works of Sam Francis, Mark Rothko and other leading American abstract expressionists, who lent their work the primacy of colour. Completely devoid of any structure, allowing for a fluid evocation of emotion, their work led Raza to move dramatically beyond the School of Paris influences that he had hitherto been exposed to. As he allowed himself greater painterly freedom in the unfolding decade of the sixties, Raza's work was to become more gestural, the brushwork looser, and the painterly affect that he sought more emotive. Yet nothing about this confluence of impressions was simple or direct. An artist of his time who responded spontaneously to the great wave of abstraction that swept the West in the 1950s and 60s, Raza also had nurtured a slew of memories that tied him inextricably with his homeland. As he describes it, the dense forests surrounding Mandla, a district in Madhya Pradesh where his father served as a forest officer were an overwhelming memory, of a sensorium of sounds, shadow and movement, unknown and mysterious to the young child. The weight of the night as it descended on the forest – innocent of electricity, as the villagers returned to their homes - was occasionally broken by the dances and singing of the Gond tribals by firelight, which etched deeply on his impressionable mind. Years later, as he engaged with a more liberated, and spontaneous mode of painting, Raza reverted to that childhood memory, making his works rich with an inchoate movement, and the irrepressible pulsation of life. There was also the memory of Kashmir, which Raza visited in 1947, its rich explosion of colours and its landscape, the subject of a wealth of miniature paintings.Les Rochers (1969)The two small paintings on view cohere in terms of Raza's treatment; whether these are preparatory works for larger canvases or complete in themselves, they bear the dynamism and energy of this phase. In the earlier work titled Les Rochers (1969) Raza allows a heavy overhang of darkness to seemingly merge with the large rock like forms, making one indistinguishable from the other. The sense of a looming darkness, kindled by embers of colour that seem to rise at the base of the work suggests the deepening of shadow over the landscape, like the closing in of the night.About this time Raza was to make a series of works drawing upon the rich tones of Rajasthani paintings – red, black, white and yellow—which not only drew from the burning sands of the Malwa region and the blazing sun of the desert but the passionate music of Rajputana, and the rich symbolism of Tantric painting. Here we have the first inklings of the Bhanu mandala, or the form of the blazing sun – black, or red, and its associative form, the bindu, in paintings like Terre Rouge (1968). There is also the preoccupation with darkness, the pitch black of the night which will be fractured or broken through with shards of colour, in paintings like Les Rocher (1969) and La Nuit (1971). It is remarkable that Raza's paintings, devoid of all living forms – other than the Naga, or the cosmic serpent which wraps around the circumference of the earth, invoke life through the sheer vitality of colour.What the energy and spirit of these works indicate is Raza's exploration of primordial elements that appear to mark the beginnings of creation. The first few verses of the Rig Veda (c.1750 BE) are dedicated to the five elements that imbue the life force. On the earth -to-sky painted surface, even in the smallest works, he engages the power and mystery of the elements, drawing them into a great, cosmic churn. Indian art had never dedicated itself entirely to the landscape, and Raza stands like a solitary figure, closer to the Romantic poets of the 18th and 19th centuries, to Rilke and Lawrence in the sweeping agonistes that he draws from nature.The GroundMind you are, ether you areAir you are, fire you areWater you are, Earth you areAnd you are the Universe, mother...Saundaryalahiri verse 28It is against this background, of a vibrant evocation of the primal forces of wind, ether, fire and water, that the question of the ground arises. On what premise, both conceptual and artistic, is Raza grounding his work? While the paintings of the late 1960s and 70s fall under the broad rubric of the landscape, there is very little of the recognizable elements of nature on view. Instead, Raza seems to depend entirely on the energy of his brush strokes, and the sheer magic of colour to invoke a sensorial effect, of the seasons and the intensity of an Indian summer. It is in the churning, and the unexpected appearance of the circle, the square or a suggestion of a triangle in such works, that Raza is also preparing the ground for another mode of abstraction. This would lead him further into a recessed visual space, not to the Vedic pronouncement on the Panchamahabhutas or primal elements, but to the yantra, and its geometric symbolism. Codified by Adi Shankara in the Saundaryalahiri,(c 8th century) the geometry of the yantra is loaded with the signification of life giving energies. In secularizing them into a highly evolved geometric abstraction, Raza creates a unique language, which abandons concepts of time and space to create their own ground – of metaphysical reading perhaps, but also sheer visual pleasure.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Maqbool Fida Husain (Indian, 1915-2011)50 Years of Emerging India engraved Husain 1997 lower centrefine silver4 x 4cm (1 9/16 x 1 9/16in).Footnotes:CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF THE PROGRESSIVE ARTISTSProvenanceArcher Graphic Studio, Ahmedabad.This coin was specially designed and minted for 50 years of Indian Independence. The coin has the phrase 'Spirit of Freedom' on one side, and '50 years of Emerging India' on the other. Both sides are accompanied by the phrase 'commemorative coin' on the outer edge. The cover containing the coin depicts the image of Mother India rising high, the peak of the Himalayas, the blue Ashoka Chakra, centre of mother earth, Lord Ganesha, the national flag, Surya Dev riding the seven horses and Gandhiji, the spirit of freedom.50 years of Independence Coin specificationAlloy: 999 Fine SilverDiam: 40 mmWeight: 25 gmsIssue Limit: 1000 coinsLot to be sold without reserve.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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