Woolley & Wallis Sale News Spring/Summer 2020 by Park Communications

SALE NEWS Spring/Summer 2020

AUCTION CALENDAR APRIL 1st

Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks

21st English & European Ceramics & Glass 28th & 29th

Silver & Objects of Vertu

30th

Fine Jewellery

FREE VALUATION MORNINGS 3rd April | 1st May | 5th June 3rd July | 4th September 10am-1pm Castle Street, Salisbury

MAY 6th

Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour

19th & 20th Asian Art, Chinese Paintings & Japanese Works of Art

JUNE 3rd Modern British & 20th Century Art Including the Estate of Dame Elisabeth Frink & Lin Jammet 17th

Arts & Crafts

JULY 1st

Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks

14th & 15th

Silver & Objects of Vertu

16th Jewellery

SEPTEMBER 2nd Old Masters, British & European Paintings 16th

Tribal Art & Antiquities

30th

Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks

OCTOBER 13th English & European Ceramics & Glass 14th Design 27th

Silver & Objects of Vertu

28th

Fine Jewellery

NOVE MBER 10th & 11th Asian Art, Chinese Paintings & Japanese Works of Art 24th

Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour

25th

British Art Pottery

Dates may be subject to change.

+44 (0) 1722 424500 enquiries@woolleyandwallis.co.uk 51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury, SP1 3SU

www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk

FRONT COVER.

OPPOSITE.

BELOW.

BACK COVER.

Items from Exbury House to be sold on behalf of the Trustees of Exbury Estate.

John Axford, Chairman and Head of Asian Art, with a rare late Ming dynasty lacquered wood figure from the Fine Chinese Works of Art auction in May. Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000

A Royal presentation cigarette case and accompanying letter from George VI thanking Lionel Logue for his help in preparing his speech for the Coronation. See page 30 for full letter. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000

A very fine Art Nouveau enamel butterfly bracelet by Carreras, c.1905. To be sold in the Fine Jewellery sale on 30th April. Estimate: £50,000 – 70,000

ISSUE 128

CONTENTS 2

THE ROTHSCHILDS

4 FURNITURE, WORKS OF ART & CLOCKS 6 ENGLISH & EUROPEAN CERAMICS & GLASS 8 SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU 10

FINE JEWELLERY

MEDALS & COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR

FINE CHINESE WORKS OF ART

CHINESE PAINTINGS & CALLIGRAPHY

JAPANESE WORKS OF ART

22 MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART 24

ARTS & CRAFTS

LD MASTERS, BRITISH & O EUROPEAN PAINTINGS

TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES

30 ‘THE KING’S SPEECH’ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU 31

MORE FROM THE SALEROOM

SALE REVIEW

NEWS & EVENTS

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION Woolley and Wallis once again emerge from 2019 as the UK’s leading regional auction house, a position that we have held for eleven years. The year kicked off with our most successful dedicated Furniture and Works of Art sale ever, with a hammer total of over £700,000. Even in furniture, for the right pieces, the market remains strong, proven here by three lots, each of which fetched in excess of £80,000. Our January mid-season Jewellery auction made a hammer total just shy of £600,000, quickly followed by the sale of Judith Howard‘s collection of Sèvres porcelain which was a near sell out, raising £300,000, and The Tim Woolley Memorial Lecture by Errol Manners before this auction raised £1,500 for Salisbury Hospice. Just as we go to press, our Old Masters Paintings Department broke their in

house record with a pair of works, attributed to Jacopo Amigoni, which fetched £260,000 hammer, featured on page 34. Orwellian Times The government’s new money laundering regulations are enough to make us despair. So much for cutting redtape, the 109 page document gives no clear guidelines, so please bear with us. It seems we now have to request two forms of identification from every seller and every buyer, even those we’ve known for twenty years or more. A sledgehammer to crack a nut doesn’t even come close in my opinion. Over the coming months, we will be selling treasures from the Rothschild Collection on behalf of the Trustees of Exbury House, some

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

of which are illustrated on the front cover of this Sale News, and we have many other exciting finds and collections consigned from around the world. We are very much looking forward to welcoming Jeremy Lamond who is joining us from the beginning of April and will be heading our Valuations Department. Do take a moment to read the extraordinary letter on page 30, part of which is featured above. John Axford

WOOLLEY & WALLIS

Salisbury Salerooms Ltd. 51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury Wiltshire, SP1 3SU +44 (0) 1722 424 500 enquiries@woolleyandwallis.co.uk www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk

CONTENTS | 1

THE ROTHSCHILDS

Over the past three years I have much enjoyed overseeing our involvement with Exbury House, especially as my family have some modest connections with the Rothschilds stretching back eighty years. During the Second World War, my grandmother Edith Viney worked alongside Dorothy de Rothschild in the Women’s Voluntary Service in Aylesbury. At that time Dorothy and her husband James (known to their friends as Dolly and Jimmy) were chatelains of Waddesdon Manor, the magnificent estate in the Vale of Aylesbury built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the late 19th century and my grandfather Colonel Oscar Viney got to know them both reasonably well when he was High Sheriff and a Deputy-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. From time to time the four of them played bridge together. Then half a century ago, as a callow youth, I spent a very enjoyable and educational eighteen months working at Waddesdon, which by then was owned by the National Trust, starting as a general dogsbody and ending up - much to my surprise considering my lack of experience - as a guide. 2 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

With its magnificent collection of furniture, paintings and works of art, Waddesdon gave me a wonderful opportunity to begin to develop my eye. At the time scholarly tomes about the collection were in the process of being written so I was fortunate enough to meet some of the academic giants of the day including Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue (Furniture), Svend Eriksen (Sèvres Porcelain), Sir Ellis Waterhouse (Pictures) as well as the now infamous Anthony Blunt who at the time was Keeper of the Queen’s Pictures, Director of the Courtauld Institute and overall editor of the Waddesdon books and who in 1979 was exposed as a former Soviet spy. In those days Dorothy de Rothschild was living nearby at Eythrope and from time to time she used to appear unannounced at the house and mingle anonymously with the public, always keen to ensure that the commendably high Rothschild standards were being maintained. I recall her as a diminutive figure (she was then in her 70s) with alert inquisitive eyes and a ready smile. When I left Waddesdon to begin my career in the auction world she sent me a charming letter of thanks for my work. Happy days indeed. Paul Viney

Exbury House

was purchased by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919 and has remained in the family ever since.

On behalf of the Exbury House Trustees, we are delighted to be selling a selection of the contents of the house in upcoming sales throughout the spring and summer.

of 26 and Lionelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncle. In 1879 on the death of his father, Alfred had inherited the 1,400-acre Halton estate in Buckinghamshire, where he promptly built a sumptuous house in the style of a French chateau, and it was from here that these choice lots emanate.

The consignment of pictures, works of art and furniture make up around 85 lots that come to Woolley & Wallis thanks to a decision to rearrange parts of the interior at Exbury, a seat of the Rothschilds since 1919. Previously the estate of the historian William Mitford and then Lord Forster, a one-time Governor-General of Australia, by the time Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882-1942) acquired Exbury, the 18th century house was all but derelict, and he had it remodelled in the late 1920s. The legacy of its military occupation throughout the war meant that both house and gardens had to be restored once more, this time under the direction of Lionelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, Edmund (1916-2009), who opened the gardens to the public in 1955. Edmund was also an art collector, but it is to another Rothschild that a number of the notable highlights consigned to Woolley & Wallis may be attributed. These heirlooms from Exbury entered the family via Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), a director of the Bank of England by the age

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Alfred de Rothschild 1842-1918

Lionel de Rothschild 1882-1942

The Rothschilds | 3

FURNITURE, WORKS OF ART & CLOCKS 1st April 2020 4 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: MARK YUAN-RICHARDS +44 (0) 1722 411854 myr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

JIM GALE +44 (0) 1722 339161 jg@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 1st July sale.

OPPOSITE.

2. An 18th century ormolu and Meissen porcelain mantel clock,

One of a pair of Louis XVI marble and ormolu mounted vases after the Borghese Vase, 44.5cm high. Provenance: Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), The Trustees of Exbury House. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

31.8cm high. Provenance: Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), The Trustees of Exbury House. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000

3. A set of eight French giltwood fauteuils with 18th century 1. A rare pair of 18th century and later Continental silver-gilt models of an elephant and rhinoceros with riders, 36.2cm high. Provenance: Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), The Trustees of Exbury House. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000

Our 1st April auction will feature eighteen lots from the Rothschild family of Exbury House. Included in the sale are a number of pieces that were originally in the collection of Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) of Halton House, the highlight of which is a rare pair of Louis XVI white marble and gilt bronze mounted vases after the Borghese Vase. The Borghese Vase is a monumental bell-shaped kylix sculpted from Pentelic marble. It was made in the second half of the 1st century BC in Greece as a lavish garden ornament for the Roman market. The vase was discovered in 1566 in the gardens of Sallust in Rome together with a Silenus with Infant Bacchus and, by 1645, the vase was in the Borghese Villa. On the 27th September 1807 it was acquired by Napoleon Bonaparte and was sent to Paris and placed in the Louvre, where it has remained since 1811. It is one of the most influential and admired Greek sculptural vases and was frequently copied in the 18th century with bronze reductions by Zoffoli and Righetti, and other examples produced by Wedgwood and Coade.

Beauvais tapestry seats after Fontaine’s Fables, 93cm high. Provenance: Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918), Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), The Trustees of Exbury House. Estimate: £8,000 – 12,000

The present vases, with their finely sculpted frieze, copy the original closely with their depiction of Bacchanalian revelry and Dionysus supporting a drunken Silenus; however the handles and leaf decoration follow the Medici vase more than the Borghese. They were considered an important part of Alfred’s collection of art and antiques as they feature in Charles Davis’ 1884 publication ‘A Description of the works of art forming the collection of Alfred de Rothschild’. Other items originally in Alfred’s collection that feature in the auction are a pair of silver gilt models of an elephant and rhinoceros with riders, a set of eight giltwood fauteuils in the Louis XVI style with 18th century Beauvais tapestry covers, a lapis lazuli tazza and a Meissen porcelain and ormolu mantel clock.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks | 5

ENGLISH & EUROPEAN CERAMICS & GLASS 21st April 2020

6 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALIST: CLARE DURHAM +44 (0) 1722 424507 cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 13th October English & European Ceramics & Glass sale.

What do a Devonshire farmer, a Lancastrian inn-keeper and a Norfolk ship-owner have in common? These three disparate professions from three corners of England have all united as part of a private pottery collection from the West Country, which contains several dated and documentary objects. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the trade and merchant classes, with enough money to do so, would commission personalised ceramics to commemorate an event or sometimes just to confer status. This delftware ship plate (opposite) is one of several recorded survivals (including one in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge) that were made to commemorate the launching of the John and Mary, a ship built in Yarmouth in 1756 and owned by John Spencer. The ship is recorded on the 1764 Lloyd’s Register as voyaging from Yarmouth to Leghorn (Livorna) with a crew of eight men. This particular plate had remained with the Spencer family until 1997 when it was sold at Phillips in Bury St Edmunds.

OPPOSITE.

1. A rare documentary Bristol Adam and

3. A delftware plate, probably Liverpool,

A large documentary delftware ship charger, c.1756, 36.2cm. Provenance: a private collection in the West Country. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

Eve charger, dated 1755, 26cm. Provenance: a private collection in the West Country. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

dated 1763, 23cm. Provenance: a private collection in the West Country. Estimate: £800 – 1,200

2. A Bovey Tracey creamware jug,

4. A large and extremely rare Bow model

19th century, 15cm high. Provenance: a private collection in the West Country. Estimate: £600 – 800

of a lioness, c.1750-52, 23cm long. Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000

More is known of the William Ellis recorded on the creamware jug (fig. 2), made at Bovey Tracey, just ten miles south of the village of Chagford on Dartmoor. Ellis was a farmer of increasing acreage (according to census returns of the time), whose son and grandson went on to farm the same land throughout the reign of Queen Victoria. It is possible that Ellis was related to another William Ellis who took over the running of the Indeo Pottery at Bovey in 1776, and whose descendants remained working at the potworks well into the 19th century.

QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE

This remarkable Bow porcelain model of a lioness is a surprising 23cm in length and one of just a few survivals of animal figures of this large size. She is in near perfect condition and dates to the early years of the factory’s output, having been made around 1750. An undecorated model (together with its pair figure of a lion) is recorded in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia, and another poorly fired example is on display at the Seattle Art Museum.

Also one of several recorded examples is this rather smaller plate inscribed for the ‘Old Boy’ at Gasting (fig. 3). There being no such place, it has long been assumed that the reference is to Garstang in Lancashire, a market town midway between Preston and Morecambe and an important staging post during the 18th century. Its position on the London to Edinburgh route meant that the town had more than its fair share of inns and taverns, and the Old Boy is believed to have been one such, although sadly no record of it seems to remain today. Thomas Knowles, a traditional Lancastrian name, is likely to have been the proprietor.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

English & European Ceramics & Glass | 7

SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU 28th & 29th April 2020

8 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: RUPERT SLINGSBY +44 (0) 1722 424501 rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

LUCY CHALMERS +44 (0) 1722 424594 lc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 14th & 15th July sale. Closing date for entries 22nd May.

OPPOSITE.

2. An Edwardian silver and

4. The Worshipful Company of

6. By H.G. Murphy, an Arts

A pair of 17th century silvergilt German tazza tops with Victorian silver-gilt bases, the two detachable bases by Robert Hennell, London 1841, the tops Nürnberg, possibly by Johann Eißler, circa 1680, height 10.5cm. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

enamel visiting card case, by W G Keight, Birmingham 1903, length 8.3cm. Estimate: £300 – 400

Mercers, a two handled silver cup and cover, by Ramsden & Roed, London 1936, height 28cm. Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000

and Crafts silver seven-bar toast rack, London 1929, the maker’s mark on the body erased and incised D.K, diameter 18cm. Estimate: £800 – 1,200

1. A James I West Country

3. A pair of Victorian novelty Eddystone Lighthouse pepper pots, by Deakin and Francis, Birmingham 1895, height 12cm. Estimate: £500 – 700

5. A rare Edwardian novelty 7. By Omar Ramsden and

silver Suffragette pepper pot, by Saunders and Shepherd, Chester 1908, height 8.3cm. Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500

Alywn Carr, an Arts and Crafts silver and enamel cigarette casket, London 1914, also engraved ‘OMAR RAMSDEN ET ALWYN CARR ME FECERUNT MCMXIV’, length 14cm. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000

silver-gilt Barnstaple Decorated Seal-top spoon, by John Quick, Barnstaple circa 1620. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000

Out of the twenty-seven items of silver and electroplate we are selling from Exbury House, one of the smallest has a great historical social interest. It is an Edwardian novelty Suffragette pepper pot, made by the Chester silversmiths Saunders and Shepherd in 1908. They made a series of novelty figural pepper pots around this period, and other characters included a chauffeur and a shepherd.

The pepper pot stands 8.3cm tall and her placards have worn lettering on them, but they read ‘Votes For Women’ and ‘We can make things hot for you’, a clever reference to the object holding pepper, and also to what the Suffragette movement was capable of.

Another item from Exbury that has an interesting story is a pair of silver-gilt tazzae. These are made up of Victorian bases and late 17th century German tops. When cataloguing the tazza we unscrewed the base found them to be fully marked for London 1841, by Robert Hennell. The tops are possibly by Johann Eißler, Nürnberg circa 1680. The inscription reads: ‘Feb 10th 1842 This foot weighing 6oz 6dw was made to revive a dish of foreign manufacture and unknown assay’. Our sale also includes an extensive collection of Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau silver, being sold due to retirement. The collection of over 140 lots includes over 30 pieces by Omar Ramsden. Other leading silversmiths of the period in the collection include Leslie Durbin, Liberty and Co., H.G. Murphy and Bernard Instone.

Our early spoon section is led by a rare and sought-after spoon, the Barnstaple Decorated Seal-top spoon. This spoon is from the 1620s and is by the Barnstable maker John Quick. It is engraved on the stem with ‘Honour God’ and is expected to achieve £6,000-8,000 in the sale.

Our section of smaller silver items includes a private collection of vinaigrettes, all in particularly good condition, and with a variety of grille designs.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Silver & Objects of Vertu | 9

FINE JEWELLERY 30th April 2020

10 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: MARIELLE WHITING FGA +44 (0) 1722 424595 mw@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

JONATHAN EDWARDS FGAA (consultant) +44 (0) 1722 424504 je@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

CHARLOTTE GLYDE FGA +44 (0) 1722 424586 cg@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

OPPOSITE.

2. An enamel, turquoise and

6. A diamond solitaire ring,

11. An Edwardian sapphire-

A fancy vivid yellow diamond ring. GIA certification, 5.26cts. Estimate: £80,000 – 120,000

diamond ‘Sioux’ clip brooch by Cartier. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

5.36cts. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

set enamel and gold brooch. Estimate: £600 – 800

7. A pair of textured gold

12. A diamond and pearl-set

1. A Neoclassical sardonyx

3. A Victorian garnet and

intaglio depicting the family of Aeneas quitting Troy, formerly in the collection of Prince Stanislas Poniatowski. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000

diamond-set gold snake necklace. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

earring by Chaumet. Estimate: £800 – 1,200

Elephant brooch by Cartier. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000

8. An early 20th century

13. A Belle Époque emerald

aquamarine and pink topaz pendant. Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000

and diamond brooch pendant. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000

4. A sapphire and diamond-set gold brooch by Kutchinsky. Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500

Now accepting consignments for the 16th July Jewellery sale. Closing date for entries 15th May.

14. A gem-set gold 9. A Belle Époque emerald

5. An Art Deco opal and

and diamond bow brooch. Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000

diamond ring. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

10. An Art Deco emerald and

wristwatch by Franck Muller. Estimate: £1,000 – 2,000

diamond ring. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000

13 11

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

FINE JEWELLERY | 11

1. A late Renaissance gold and enamel wedding or betrothal ring, c.late 16th century. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

2. A mid 19th century carnelian intaglio-mounted early 20th century gold Neoclassical pendant by Andre Bucher. The unsigned intaglio probably by Luigi Pichler (1773-1854), c1805, depicting a standing and youthful Cupid [Eros], with a quiver of arrows by his feet, drinking wine from a drinking bowl held by a reclining Bacchus [Dionysus] who lies on an animal skin-draped couch, holding an amphora and thyrsus, 3.5cm wide. The gold pendant with oval laurel frame, supported by two stylised ancient Babylonian griffins, their outstretched wings joined, with pierced foliate lower section over a rectangular laurel chased base, laurel swags hanging from three grotesque masks with three citrine pendants, signed with maker’s lozenge to reverse, a fleur-de-lys between initials AB, 7.4cm wide, later fitted case.

The subject of the intaglio is an allegory of the effect of wine on love. It is a faithful copy of one of four marble reliefs, with subjects taken from Greek mythology, by the celebrated Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770 - 1844). Luigi Pichler (1773-1854), was a descendant of the celebrated family of German-Italian gem engravers and studied under his elder half brother, the esteemed Giovanni Pichler. In the latter part of the 18th century he travelled to Austria where he attracted wide foreign patronage and was presented to Emperor Francis I in Vienna in 1808. In 1818 he was appointed Professor of Gem Engraving at Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Vienna, a post he held until 1850 before retiring to Rome. Luigi Pichler also copied

various other subjects from the work of Bertel Thorvaldsen, of which plaster casts can be seen in the Harvard Art Museum collection. See object numbers 1910.12.1.27, 1910.12.1.71 and 1910.12.1.100.

A plaster cast of a similar gem was taken by the Italian painter and engraver Pietro Paoletti. See ‘Catalogo di num. 120 Impronte instucco... etc’, ref no. 117 ‘amore disetato da Bacco’ (Love quenched by Bacchus). Relevant information and images are available in The Beazley Archive database, The Ashmolean, Oxford. Estimate: £12,000 – 15,000

3. A 19th century bracelet mounted with nine oval hardstone intaglios in gold rub-over mounts and gold links. The intaglios, from left to right: 1) A 19th century carved sardonyx intaglio in the 1st century BC style, depicting a standing man before a tree and holding a wreath, engraved dot border. 2) A 19th century carved sardonyx intaglio in the 1st century BC style, depicting a philosopher seated on a slat-backed chair, leaning forward and intently reading. 3) A 19th century finely carved carnelian intaglio, in the 1st century AD style, depicting Athena Lemnia. 4) A 19th century finely carved light and dark sardonyx intaglio in the Hellenistic style, depicting Herakles Farnese, traditionally carved and leaning on his club draped with the Nemean Lion, engraved to the left with the pseudo-signature ‘AYLOY’ in Greek letters for the 1st century BC engraver Aulos.

12 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

5) An 18th century very finely carved sardonyx intaglio by Carlo Costanzi, depicting a portrait bust of a young man with tied flowing curly hair, signed to the left ‘Cavalier Carlo Costanzi’ and the initials F R to the base, possibly those of the sitter. Carlo Costanzi (1705-1781) was a gem engraver working out of Naples and later Rome. 6) A late 18th or early 19th century finely caved sardonyx intaglio by Giovanni or Luigi Pichler, depicting the bust of a youthful man, his flowing curling hair tied with a fillet, signed lower left in Greek ‘Pichler’ Giovanni Pichler (1734-1791) moved to Rome from Naples and received notable commissions from an early age and his engraved gems were often mistaken as from Classical antiquity.

Luigi Pichler (1773-1854) received his apprenticeship and education from his relation Giovanni as Luigi’s own father died when he was young. They both, in addition to other members of their family, signed their works in various Greek and Roman ways. 7) A late 18th or early 19th century, finely carved sardonyx intaglio by Pichler, (probably Luigi), depicting a maenad walking to the right, wearing flowing and transparent robes, and holding a thyrsus in her left hand and a cup in the other which has a butterfly drinking from it and representing Psyche as the soul, signed lower right in Greek ‘PIX’

8) A 19th century carved cornelian intaglio depicting a traditional Dionysiac procession, after the so-called ‘Seal of Michelangelo’, the original of which was thought to have been carved by Pier Maria da Pescia after Michelangelo. 9) A 19th century dark sardonyx intaglio in the 1st century BC style, depicting a bearded man kneeling before a Krater. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

1. Marielle Whiting, Head of Jewellery,

2. A fluted gold bracelet by Cartier,

3. An early 20th century Montana

holding an Art Deco jade and gold bracelet by Gérard Sandoz (1902-1995), c.1925. With the original gouache drawing. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

c.1940. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000

sapphire and diamond-set American pansy pendant. Estimate: £8,000 – 12,000

EARLY RINGS

Gem-set finger rings first appeared in Mesopotamia and Egypt around 2500 BC. Examples set with lapis lazuli and carnelian were discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley (1880-1960) on a site in what is present day Iraq. These were sophisticated forms of jewellery compared to the Egyptian examples of 500 years previous when scarabs, the most popular amulet, were tied to a finger by a thread. The threads were replaced with wire which were later flattened and developed into a recognisable ring.

Although these early examples lacked finesse, they influenced jewellery throughout history. The Egyptian snake rings, for instance, regularly inspired designs of most periods and particularly the 19th century. Rings were never more popular than in Classical Antiquity when they became vehicles for carved hardstone intaglios and cameos. No self-respecting ancient Greek or Roman gentleman would be seen without a glyptic ring of some form or another. Techniques for stone cutting and jewellery manufacture developed with the passing centuries but the Middle Ages saw an extraordinary re-birth of all art forms in Europe in the 14th century with the arrival of the Renaissance. Jewellery was an important part of the transition and revival; goldsmiths started to produce rings in the form of miniature sculptures and bold scrolls were often emphasized by champlevé enamels. From the mid15th to the mid-16th century, stones were usually set in quatrefoil bezels, a development of the cusped mount of the Middle Ages, as with the wedding or betrothal ring to be sold on April 30th (see item 1 on page 12). More elaborate versions were produced, based on similar high quatrefoil bezels and traditionally set with a ruby or diamond. Gimmel rings, formed of two or three hoops, were worn separately before marriage and then linked together as a wedding ring. It is rare for Renaissance jewels to find their way on to the open market due to their scarcity, with the majority of examples being in institutions.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

FINE JEWELLERY | 13

MEDALS & COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR 6th May 2020

All medals tell a story. This aphorism has been discussed in these pages before. Enthusiasts devote as much or more effort to uncovering and articulating the history that a medal represents, as to the appreciation of its numismatic attributes. The extraordinary story of the medal shown here is almost beyond the scope of this short article. Not only does it tell the tale of a battle in which men killed and died and tried to survive in a maelstrom of lead and fire; it is also emblematic of the struggle of Arfican-Americans to establish a place for themselves in a hostile society. It was a struggle that in a just world would never have been necessary, and one that, horrifyingly, continues to this day.

in spite of heavy casualties. They earned great acclaim vindicating those such as President Abraham Lincoln (and General Butler himself) who had promoted the enlistment of AfricanAmerican troops. No fewer than 20 awards of the Medal of Honour were made during the battle, many of them to African-Americans. In addition, the medal shown here was created on the personal initiative of General Butler for presentation to around 200 selected African-Americans who had particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting.

The battle of Chaffin’s Farm and Newmarket Height was fought in September 1864 during the American Civil War. The United States’ Army of the James, under General Benjamin Butler, mounted a diversionary attack on the Confederate defences around Richmond, Virginia. Tactically inconclusive, the assault nevertheless achieved its strategic aim of causing the Confederate General Robert E. Lee to deploy additional troops to the area, weakening his defences elsewhere. The battle is chiefly notable for a significant deployment on the Union side of African-American soldiers (or ‘Colored Troops’ as they were then known) and for the tremendous courage and combat effectiveness that they displayed. They fought across open ground in the face of withering fire, and acquitted themselves gallantly in close combat, persevering

14 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

Medal to scale

SPECIALIST: NED COWELL +44 (0) 1722 341469 nc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

OPPOSITE & BELOW. American Civil War: the United States ‘Colored Troops’ Medal, 1864. Estimate: £8,000 – 12,000

Now accepting consignments for the 24th November sale.

A political appointee with questionable military abilities and a controversial past, Butler is notable for having formed, in 1862, the first Regiment of African-Americans in the U.S. Army: the 1st Louisiana Native Guard. Large numbers of former slaves (many liberated by the US army) and other African-Americans eventually entered U.S. service, and Butler was a pioneer in this respect. The extent to which opposition to slavery was a casus belli of the American Civil War has been much debated, but emancipation undoubtedly

became one of the major war aims of the Union, particularly after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of late 1862/early 1863. This act freed, at a stroke, all those enslaved in the Confederate States. The edict was obviously unenforceable unless or until those slaves could escape to one of the Northern States, or passed through the lines of an advancing Union army. Once this obstacle was cleared, they were free to enlist and fight to confirm their new found freedom. The idea that they were fighting for the rights of African-Americans (and not merely for the interests of one white faction against another) is made explicit by the legend “FERRO IIS LIBERTAS PERVENIET” (Freedom will be theirs by the sword) that appears on Butler’s medal above two African-American soldiers, bayonets fixed, attacking the parapet of a fort.

This medal is thus remarkable for a number of reasons. Rare in absolute terms, it is also unusual as an example of a contemporary US Civil War award. By the 1860s Britain had developed a consolidated culture of recognising military service by the presentation of medals, but no such culture existed in North America. Many of the objects that are loosely regarded as ‘American Civil War Medals’ are actually badges denoting membership of one of the numerous Civil War veterans’ associations. In this regard they have a loose association with campaign medals, but may post date the war by some decades. This example of the Butler Medal, to be offered for sale in our 6th May auction, is desirable not only as a very rare award, but as a tangible link to the genesis of the struggle for the rights of AfricanAmericans.

Medal to scale Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

MEDALS & COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR | 15

FINE CHINESE WORKS OF ART 19th & 20th May 2020

16 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: JOHN AXFORD +44 (0) 1722 424506 jea@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

JEREMY MORGAN +44 (0) 7812 601098 jm@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

AMBER LEES +44 (0) 1722 424571

OPPOSITE.

1. A Chinese flambé glazed bottle vase,

2. A massive Chinese celadon jade bi,

A pair of large Chinese lapis lazuli models of elephants, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), overall height 57cm and 55cm. Provenance: from the collection of the Rothschild Family, Exbury House. Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000

six character Qianlong mark and of the period 1736-95, 34.5cm. Provenance: formerly a South American private collection. Estimate: £50,000 – 60,000

Zhou Dynasty (c.1100-221 BC), 23.8cm. Provenance: from the Fryers’ Collection of Chinese Art, collection no.134. Purchased from René Kitchen Ltd, London, in 1970. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000

aml@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 10th & 11th November sales.

Mark

An elephant carrying a vase in a procession

AUSPICIOUS ELEPHANTS

In China, there is an old saying ‘tai ping you xiang’ (太平有象) which wishes you peaceful times, and the image of elephants with vases on their backs is the visual embodiment of this expression. This is because the Chinese words for ‘vase’ (‘ping’) and ‘elephant’ (‘xiang’) are homophonous with two of the words in the saying and, because of their association with this famous phrase, live elephants carrying vases on their backs featured in processions celebrating the Qing dynasty emperors’ birthdays. The elephant itself is symbolic of peace and stability because it is a heavy animal standing firmly on four feet. Its presence at these ceremonies was hoped to ensure long-lasting national peace and security under the reign of the ruling emperor. In the case of the present elephants, this is somewhat ironic as they date from the 19th century, just before the collapse of the dynasty and entire Imperial system.

These extraordinary and elaborate lapis lazuli elephants are from the collection of the Rothschild Family from Exbury House and will be offered on 19th May with an estimate of £20,000-30,000.

EARTH IS SQUARE, HEAVEN IS ROUND

Our November sale will feature a number of pieces from the Fryers’ Collection of Chinese Art, including this archaic jade bi. A bi is a flat circular jade disc with a small hole in the centre and they were first produced in China during the Neolithic period as ritual burial objects. In ancient China, it was believed that the Earth was square and heaven was round, and so bi discs were buried with the dead to aid spirits in their journey to the afterlife. The iconic shape of the bi has been reproduced in jade time and time again by craftsman throughout Chinese history. This particular piece is an early one, dating from the Zhou Dynasty (c.1100-221 BC), and it was purchased by Dr Gordon Fryer and Dr Rosemary Fryer in 1970 from René Kitchen Ltd, London. The bi will be offered in our November sale carrying an estimate of £10,000-£15,000.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Fine Chinese Works of Art | 17

CHINESE PAINTINGS & CALLIGRAPHY 19th May 2020

18 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: FREYA YUAN-RICHARDS +44 (0) 1722 424589 fyr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

AMBER LEES +44 (0) 1722 424571

OPPOSITE.

1. Head of Department,

2. Gao Qipei (1660-1734)

3. Attributed to Qian Du,

Pu Ru (1896-1963) Gazing at the waterfall, 100 x 32.5cm Estimate: £5,000 – 7,000

Freya Yuan-Richards, with the Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) Farewell to a good friend, 76 x 43cm. Estimate: £50,000 – 70,000

Shoulao, 97 x 29.5cm. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000

Cao Guojiu, 23 x 19cm. Estimate: £500 – 800

aml@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 10th & 11th November sales.

A GIFT TO SAY FAREWELL

Throughout Chinese history, it was a tradition for scholars to give their friends scroll paintings as gifts for celebrating important dates such as birthdays and weddings, but also as a way of saying farewell. The image of a scholar under a willow tree represents friends saying goodbye. Breaking a willow branch to give to a leaving friend on their departure for a long journey is a custom which can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and the imagery is frequently used in Chinese literature. The idea is that once the friend has arrived at their destination, they can plant the broken willow branch and it will regrow into a tree at this new place. The Chinese character for the word ‘willow tree’ is homophonous with the character liu, meaning ‘to stay’. Gifting a willow branch is therefore a gesture of asking the departing friend to stay as well as a way of showing how they will be missed and expressing good wishes for the future. This painting by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) was a gift to his friend, the late James Kedzie Penfield (1908-2004), before Mr Penfield’s return to the United States from China. Mr Penfield visited Zhang Daqian’s studio twice before leaving, but he was out both times and so they were unable to say goodbye in person. With regret and a heavy heart, Zhang Daqian painted this picture depicting himself as a scholar underneath a willow tree as a means of saying farewell and wishing his old friend all the best for the future.

Similarly, this landscape painting by Pu Ru (1896-1963) was also gifted to a leaving friend. The picture was acquired at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale in 1990 by Tsui Tsuntong (1941-2010), also known as T. T. Tsui, who was a famous Chinese art collector, entrepreneur and the founder of the Tsui Art Foundation. Pu Ru was a cousin of the last Emperor of China, Pu Yi. In the painting, the scholar stands in front of a waterfall, admiring its beauty and listening to its cascading waters, comparing the sound to music played on the qin, a traditional Chinese instrument. The painting’s current owner worked in Hong Kong for over twenty years, the last two of which were spent working in T.T. Tsui’s companies, and this piece was given to him by Tsui before his return to Europe. James Kedzie Penfield (1908-2004)

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy | 19

JAPANESE WORKS OF ART 19th May 2020

THE ENDURING MEMENTOES OF AN EPHEMERAL SPRING This pair of bronze vases (above) are a magnificent example of the work produced by the studio of Inoue of Kyoto in the late 19th century. Gold and silver inlays create a composition where men are dwarfed by the majestic mountainous landscape. The figures are depicted at leisure under sakura, the iconic 20 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

cherry blossoms of Japan, the silver petals glistening like hundreds of jewels on the dark bronze ground. The viewing of sakura flowers (hanami) is a famous tradition which resonates with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, the celebration and acceptance of transience and imperfection. The scenes depicted here pay

tribute to this idea, the fragility of the petals cleverly mirrored by the precious material. The flower in a rhomboid cell featured in the background is the mon family crest for the Yonekura clan and these impressive vases were probably produced as a one-off special commission for the family.

SPECIALIST: ALEXANDRA AGUILAR +44 (0) 1722 424583 aa@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 10th & 11th November sales.

The large Satsuma vase by Ryozan (fig. 1) offers a different vision of hanami. Here the artist doesn’t illustrate the ephemerality of sakura, but the hustle and bustle of a busy road under the flowering trees. The elaborate composition depicts the crowded shores of the river Abe, the 19th station on the Tokaido road, the main artery of Japan that connected Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto. Children are playing blindfold games, couples enjoy a picnic under the cherry blossoms, and travellers disembark from narrow boats in a riot of details in gilt and polychrome, with Mount Fuji towering above them. Ryozan was the main decorator for the Yasuda Satsuma factory, and this is a telling example of his talent. This vase of large proportions (it is 30cm high and weighs more than 4.2kg) was once flown into the UK in the cockpit of a Boeing 747 when the owner’s son, a commercial pilot, realised it was too large – and too fragile – for the cabin’s overhead lockers. It is one of the highlights of a large selection of Satsuma pieces from private collections, with examples by Kinkozan, Ryozan and Nakamura Baikei which will be offered in this sale.

JAPANESE ART, EDWARD C. MOORE AND TIFFANY

Another highlight of the sale is this elegant lacquer box (fig. 2) formerly in the collection

OPPOSITE.

2. A good Japanese lacquer box and cover with butterflies,

An impressive pair of inlaid bronze vases signed Inoue of Kyoto, 19th century, both 41cm. Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000.

13 x 13.6 x 19.7cm. Provenance: formerly in the collection of Edward C. Moore and later gifted to the family of the current owner. Estimate: £1,000 – 2,000

1. A very large Satsuma vase with figures in a mountainous landscape, signed Ryozan, 19th century, 30cm. Provenance: the collection of Stan & Winefried Gerrans, South Africa, and thence by descent. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000

3. Head of Department, Alexandra Aguilar, with the 25 metre long hand-scroll painting depicting the Imperial procession of Go-Mizunoo and his court to Nijo Castle in 1626. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000

of Edward C. Moore (1827-1891). Featuring a design of butterflies fluttering on a background of multicoloured stripes, it tells the story of its original owner’s fascination with Japanese art. Edward C. Moore was Tiffany & Co.’s artistic director and a keen collector, from early Islamic Art to Song Dynasty Chinese ceramics and Japanese netsuke. His interest for Japanese art was triggered by pieces sent by Christopher Dresser to Louis Comfort Tiffany as a study collection. Many of the artworks he produced emulate Japanese aesthetics, and the particular pattern of butterflies appears on several of his designs. His vast collection is housed at the Met in New York, including another Japanese lacquer box with a butterfly design. A special exhibition will take place later this year, putting into perspective Asian artworks from his collection and his Tiffany pieces, thus demonstrating the strong influence of Japanese aesthetics on his iconic American designs. The sale will feature many more treasures, including a pair of impressive Imari vases from the Rothschild Collection (featured on this Sale News cover) and a large selection of netsuke from the collection of a titled lady and thence by descent. This 25 metre long hand-scroll painting (fig. 3) with the procession of Emperor Go-Mizunoo to Nijo Castle in 1626 is another stunning piece with hundreds of portraits where no two faces are the same.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Japanese Works of Art | 21

MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART INCLUDING THE ESTATE OF DAME ELISABETH FRINK & LIN JAMMET 3rd June 2020

22 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: VICTOR FAUVELLE +44 (0) 1722 446961 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

ED BEER +44 (0) 1722 446962 eb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

HANNAH VERNON +44 (0) 1722 446970 hv@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the June sale. Closing date for entries 9th April.

One of the highlights of the June sale is Mary Fedden’s White Arches (opposite). It was painted in 1955, a much sought-after period, when she was heavily influenced by the work of her husband Julian Trevelyan. She began to depict objects in a more stylised manner, and the rich, vibrant colours she uses throughout White Arches also anticipates her work of the 1960s. Throughout her career still life was her favourite subject, as she explained, ‘I come back from holiday with sketchbooks full of landscapes … and then I’m back to still life. It’s my real love’.

OPPOSITE.

1. Dame Elisabeth Frink RA

2. Edward Seago

3. Frederick Gore CBE, RA

Mary Fedden OBE, RA, RWA (1915-2012) White Arches Signed and dated 1955 Oil on canvas 50.5 x 60.9cm. Provenance: Redfern Gallery, London; From whom purchased by John Verney Esq., 12 June 1956; By decent to the present owner. Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000

(1930-1993) Baboon Screenprint in 5 colours, 1990 76.5 x 55.2cm. Provenance: The Estate of Dame Elisabeth Frink & Lin Jammet. Estimate: £500 – 800

(1910-1974) Jasper’s Farm, Norfolk Signed Oil on canvas 26 x 35cm. Provenance: Keys Fine Art Auctioneers, Norfolk, 15th December 2000, lot 640; By descent to the present owner. Estimate: £5,000 – 8,000

(1913-2000) Looking towards Sóller Signed Oil on canvas 69.6 x 91.5cm. Provenance: Private Collection Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000

representation, as he sought to capture the character and atmosphere of the landscape. In contrast to the quintessentially British work of Seago, Frederick Gore’s landscapes

owe a great debt to the European tradition. Paintings such as Looking towards Sóller (fig. 3) are typical, as he uses a rich and vivid palette to convey the rich colours of the Mallorcan landscape as it is bathed in dawn light.

Also included in the sale will be items from the estate of Dame Elisabeth Frink and her son Lin Jammet. Frink was one of the most celebrated British artists of the 20th century, and the collection provides a fascinating insight into the diversity of her interests. As well as works by both her (fig. 1) and Jammet, it includes examples by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Guy Taplin, Trevelyan, and Fedden. Pictures form the majority of the collection, but sculptures, ceramics and Aboriginal items will also be offered. Edward Seago’s art was rooted in his love of his native East Anglia. However, as works such Jasper’s Farm, Norfolk (fig. 2) demonstrate, his ambition extended beyond mere topographical

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Modern British & 20th century art | 23

ARTS & CRAFTS 17th June 2020

24 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALIST: MICHAEL JEFFERY +44 (0) 1722 424505 mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 17th June Arts and Crafts sale. Closing date for entries 1st May.

THE ART OF CRAFT

The sale covers all aspects of Victorian and Edwardian design including ceramics, glass, furniture, works on paper, textiles, metal ware and jewellery.

OPPOSITE.

2. A silver and enamel St George & the

4. 1st Day of Creation, a rare Della Robbia

A fine pair of Artificer’s Guild narwhal tusk, silver and chrysoprase tazzae designed by Edward Spencer, London 1906, 19.5cm high. Estimate: £2,000 – 4,000

Dragon brooch by George Hunt, dated 1937, 6.5cm long. Provenance: George Hunt, thence by descent. Estimate: £400 – 600

plaque designed by Edward Coley BurneJones, 54 x 22cm. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000

1. A silver and enamel forget‑me-not

3. A William De Morgan ruby lustre double

brooch by George Hunt, dated 1924, 5.5cm long. Provenance: George Hunt, thence by descent. Estimate: £300 – 500

gourd vase, 26cm high. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000

5. A William De Morgan three tile Dragon panel, 61.5 x 20.5cm Estimate: £300 – 500

Included in the ceramics section is the remaining Pilkington’s Lancastrian Pottery from the collection of Bill Coles. Bill, who sadly passed away last year, was a founder member of the Pilkington’s Lancastrian Society. The sale also includes a wonderful William De Morgan three tile panel, the panel painted with a dragon in polychrome on large 8 inch tiles. Exhibited at the Home Arts and Industries Association exhibition, The 1st Day of Creation plaque made at Della Robbia’s Birkenhead Pottery was adapted from one of the seven oil panels painted by Burne-Jones between 1871 and 1876. The panels developed by William H Rathbone were modelled and decorated by C.A. Walker and Lizzie Wilkins. In the original frame and with the original paper exhibition label to the reverse – it has a pre-sale estimate of £4,000-6,000. The sale also includes a private collection of Ruskin Pottery and Martin Ware from the Hull-Grundy Collection. A highlight of the metal ware section is a collection of George Hunt jewellery which has come from the Hunt family directly.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Arts & Crafts | 25

OLD MASTERS, BRITISH & EUROPEAN PAINTINGS 2nd September 2020 26 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALISTS: VICTOR FAUVELLE +44 (0) 1722 446961 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

ED BEER +44 (0) 1722 446962 eb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

HANNAH VERNON +44 (0) 1722 446970 hv@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the September sale. Closing date for entries 10th July.

OPPOSITE.

2. George Gower (c.1540‑1596)

Nicolas de Largillière (French 1656‑1746) Portrait of Monsieur Aubert, General Director of the Bridges and Roads of France, three‑quarter‑length, by a writing table Inscribed A Monsieur/M*nsi*** Aubert/Controlle* général des Ponts/ Chaussée de france Oil on canvas laid on panel 134.5 x 103cm; 53 x 40½in. Provenance: Arnold S. Kirkeby (1901‑1962); By whom given to Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1955; By whom sold, Sotheby’s, New York, 10 January 1991, lot 82; Edmund de Rothschild (1916‑2009). Estimate: £12,000 – 18,000

Portrait of Thomas Arundell, later 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour (c.1560‑1639) Inscribed ANº DNI 1580 / atatis sua .20 (upper left above the centaur), Non spirat Qui non afpirat (centre left) and charged upper right with the sitter’s coat of arms Oil on panel 60.6 x 50.9cm; 23¾ x 20in. Provenance: Possibly Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea (1843‑1907); Constance de Rothschild, Lady Battersea (1843‑1931); Lionel de Rothschild (1882‑1942); Edmund de Rothschild (1916‑2009). Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000

1. Thomas Sidney Cooper RA (1803-1902) 3. George Adolphus Storey RA (1834‑1919)

Sheep in a winter landscape Signed and dated 1861 Oil on canvas 77 x 107 cm; 30¼ x 42¼in. Provenance: Private Collection. Estimate: £12,000 – 18,000

Mistress Dorothy Oil on canvas, 1873 112.5 x 87cm; 44¼ x 34¼in. Provenance: Purchased directly from the artist by Alfred de Rothschild (1842‑1918) for 300gns, 1873; Lionel de Rothschild (1882‑1942); Edmund de Rothschild (1916‑2009). Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000

At the heart of the September sale will be a group of paintings from Exbury House, three portraits from which reflect both the quality and diversity of that collection. George Gower’s portrait of Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour (fig. 2), is a fine example of late 16th Century English painting. Gower became Serjeant Painter to Queen Elizabeth I in 1581, and was the pre-eminent artist at her court for much of her reign. Thomas Arundell was an ardent Roman Catholic who was imprisoned twice by the Queen. However, he also proved his loyalty to the crown during the Spanish Armada, and was made a Count of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor Rudolf II. Nicolas de Largillière was one of Europe’s premier portraitists. Having trained in Antwerp and London, he settled in Paris in 1679 and quickly found favour with his baroque portraiture in the tradition of Rubens and van Dyck. The depiction of Monsieur Aubert, General Director of the Bridges and Roads of France (opposite) dates from c. 1725‑1730, and demonstrates Largillière’s technical virtuosity, love of sumptuous drapery, and mastery of colour.

Alfred de Rothschild was once described as ‘the finest amateur judge of French eighteenth-century art in England’, however, he also collected contemporary painting. He first heard about George Adolphus Storey’s Mistress Dorothy (fig. 3) whilst dining with Sir Francis Grant, the president of the Royal Academy. Grant spoke so highly of the work that de Rothschild sought out and purchased the painting the next day. On a later occasion, when discussing the work with Storey, de Rothschild said ‘I like her to keep me company’.

Amongst the highlights from other properties, is a large winter landscape by Thomas Sidney Cooper. Cooper was one of the foremost animal painters of the Victorian period, and sheep and cattle were his most frequent subjects. This large example (fig. 1), which comes from a private collection, typifies his mastery of the genre. The 1860s, when this work was painted, saw Cooper at the height of his powers, and his winter landscapes remain perennially popular with collectors.

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

Old Masters, British & European Paintings | 27

TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES 16th September 2020

28 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

SPECIALIST: WILL HOBBS +44 (0) 1722 339752 wh@woolleyandwallis.co.uk

Now accepting consignments for the 16th September sale. Closing date for entries 30th June.

OPPOSITE.

2. A selection of Aboriginal clubs and a

4. An Aboriginal club, Northern

A Fiji club kinikini, 124.5cm long. Estimate: £800 – 1,200

shield, Australia. Estimate: £1,200 – 1,500

Queensland, Australia, with Torres Strait painted busts, 53.5cm long. Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500

1. Details of a selection of North American

3. An Aboriginal fighting club,

Indian beaded pipe bags from the Michael G. Johnson Collection. Estimates from £400 – £2,000

Arnhem Land, Australia, 114cm long. Estimate: £800 – 1,200

OCEANIC ART

A number of Oceanic artefacts consigned to the September sale include a selection of Australian Aboriginal wooden clubs, boomerangs and shields. The large fish-tail fighting club with its linear and dot painted blade is typical of a style seen through Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. This is the same area where the vast majority of bark paintings were produced. The iconic eucalyptus bark, painted with natural pigments depicting sacred creatures, dreams, landscapes and figures, was originally used for ceremonial and educational purposes and today the recognised artists are proving popular amongst collectors. The unusual painted short club is likely to have originated from Northern Queensland, but the depiction of three grimacing busts with large oval eyes is a style reminiscent of the Torres Strait, an area that lies between Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea, dotted with a series of small islands. The group shows a hooked boomerang, a pineapple club, a narrow shield, a Tiwi club and a leangle club. The leangle is distinct to the western Victoria area and was considered the most lethal, as its sharply pointed head could reach around the narrow parrying shields. The wonderfully carved Fiji kinikini club was likely to have been owned by a chief who would have held it as a symbol of rank and authority, though one 19th century observation recorded that, if ever used in battle, the cutting edges of the broad flat blade would inflict the damage, “the chief using his kinikini to cleave a man down…”

Visit woolleyandwallis.co.uk/buying for additional charges on final hammer price.

TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES | 29

‘The King’s Speech’ A Heartfelt Thank You

Recent events with the Royal family cannot have helped but bring to mind the tumultuous year of 1936, which saw the abdication of Edward VIII and the sudden thrust into the limelight of his shy, younger brother, Bertie, now unexpectedly became King. The struggles that King George VI had with his speech and a pronounced stammer are well documented, thanks to the relatively recent discovery of papers belonging to his Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. The discovery lent much to the 2010 Oscar winning film, The King’s Speech, which subsequently meant that Lionel Logue went from being a background figure to a near household name almost overnight. It is therefore an honour for us to be able to bring to auction the silver cigarette case that the newly crowned George VI gifted to Logue just four days after his coronation in 1937, along with a three page letter expressing his gratitude. Addressed to “My dear Logue”, the letter thanks him for his “expert supervision and unfailing patience” and goes on to say, “I want you to know how grateful I am, not only for your invaluable help with my speech, but for your devoted friendship and encouragement.” The cigarette case appears to have been given to Lionel Logue’s younger brother, Herbert, following the therapist’s death in 1953. It was then sold, together with the letter, to

30 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS

Charles McGowan, an Australian jeweller, who accepted it from Herbert Logue in lieu of £27 as an outstanding payment for a graduated pearl necklace. It has been handed down to McGowan’s descendants for the last 67 years and is now being reluctantly sold. It is believed to be the only letter between the two men available

outside of the Logue Archive and represents a unique piece of 20th century British history. This letter, along with the accompanying royal presentation cigarette case pictured on page 1, will be included in the Silver & Objects of Vertu sale on 28th & 29th April.

Woolley & Wallis Sale News Spring/Summer 2020

Articles inside

NEWS & EVENTS

THE KING’S SPEECH’ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU

MORE FROM THE SALEROOM

OLD MASTERS, BRITISH & EUROPEAN PAINTINGS

TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES

MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART

ARTS & CRAFTS

ENGLISH & EUROPEAN CERAMICS & GLASS

CHINESE PAINTINGS & CALLIGRAPHY

SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU

FINE JEWELLERY

MEDALS & COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR

JAPANESE WORKS OF ART

THE ROTHSCHILDS

FURNITURE, WORKS OF ART & CLOCKS