Sale News Winter 2017/Spring 2018
Auction Calendar January 10th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
23 & 24
Silver & Objects of Vertu
25th
Jewellery & Watches
rd
th
FREE AUCTION VALUATIONS We offer a free auction valuation service on the first Friday of every month, 10am – 1pm, no appointment necessary. For further information please call 01722 424 509 or visit our website. *All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 25% for Asian Art sales and 22% for all other sales
FEBRUARY 7th
Modern British Art from the estate of the late Geoffrey Harley
20th
Fine Porcelain & Pottery
21
Tribal Art & Antiquities
st
March 7th
Old Masters, British & European Paintings
21st
Clarice Cliff, Art Deco & Design
APRIL 11th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
24th & 25th
Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu
26
Fine Jewellery & Watches
th
MAY 2nd
English & European Ceramics & Glass
3rd
Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour
22nd & 23rd
Asian Art, Chinese Paintings, Japanese Works of Art
JuNE 6th
Modern British & 20th Century Art
20
th
Arts & Crafts
JuLY 4th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
17th & 18th
Silver & Objects of Vertu
19
Jewellery & Watches
th
2 | Woolley & Wallis
Front Cover.
Below.
Opposite.
Back Cover.
Michael Ayrton (1921-1975) Icarus rising III From an edition of 9 Patinated bronze 102cm high. Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000 To be sold 7th February 2018
Whyn Lewis (b.1973) Pistachio Signed and dated 2001 Oil on canvas 56 x 56cm. Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500 To be sold 7th February 2018
A selection of Russian porcelain eggs from the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg. Provenance: from the collection of Dr Venetia Newall To be sold 20th February 2018
‘Cubist’ a Clarice Cliff Bizarre Isis vase, 24.5cm high. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000 To be sold 21st March 2018
Issue 122
contents 4
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
6
Silver & Objects of Vertu
8
Jewellery & Watches
10
Modern British Art from the estate of the late
Geoffrey Harley 12
Fine Porcelain & Pottery
14
Tribal Art & Antiquities
16
Old Masters. British & European Paintings
18
Clarice Cliff, Art Deco & Design
20
Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour
22
Asian Art
24
Chinese Paintings
26
Japanese Works of Art
28
Sassoon
30
Sale Review
34
News & Events
chairman’s introduction
As always in our industry provenance can make a significant and positive difference to the value of a lot; and when you are fortunate enough to have a single owner sale the results can be spectacular. Michael Jeffery, who is head of our Design department, has enjoyed two such collections this year. The sale of a private collection of Burmantofts pottery, held in June, was a great success with every lot sold; and by the time of publishing this magazine we will have sold the splendid collection of Studio Pottery formed by Professor Luke Herrmann. In addition, Michael tells me that he has hopes of a single owner collection of Arts and Crafts for possible sale in 2019 – forward planning indeed!
In similar vein our Silver Department has a long tradition of single owner sales going back many years. These include the Cook collection of early silver and spoons (2003), the Norrie collection of caddy spoons (two sales in 2004), a private collection of nutmeg graters (two sales in 2005), a sale on behalf of the executors of the legendary dealer Mrs ‘Ben’ How (2007), a private collection of Scottish silver (2009), a collection of snuff boxes (2017) and last but by no means least, in 2016/17 we sold the Holder collection which comprised of over 1800 lots of silver.
One of the joys of our business is its unpredictable nature - from day to day you never know where a phone call is going to lead or what is going to walk through the door. However I have no doubt that given a fair wind we will have the privilege and pleasure of selling many more single owner collections in the years to come. The prospect remains as enticing as ever. Paul Viney
Woolley & Wallis Looking ahead, on February 7th the Picture Department will be selling the outstanding collection of Modern British paintings formed by the late Geoffrey Harley, details of be found on page 10 and one lot is illustrated above and on the front cover.
Salisbury Salerooms Ltd. 51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury Wiltshire, SP1 3SU T: +44 (0) 1722 424 500 enquiries@woolleyandwallis.co.uk www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Contents | 3
Furniture, Works of Art & CLOCKS 10th January 2018
4 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialist: Mark YUAN-Richards +44 (0) 1722 411 854 myr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Our traditionally very popular January sale will offer over 700 lots and the sale includes a strong clock section. The highlight will be a walnut longcase clock by the esteemed maker George Graham (1675-1751) (opposite). He was apprenticed to Henry Aske at the age of thirteen becoming a Freeman in 1695. He later became partner to the ‘Father of English Clockmaking’ Thomas Tompion and married his niece Elizabeth. He was one of horology’s great inventors coming up with great innovations, for example: the mercury compensated pendulum and the orrery. Alongside the handsome Graham the sale will also feature the month going walnut longcase by William Clement featured in our Autumn Sale News and other clocks by notable makers including: John Knibb, John Foorde, Henry Jones, Thomas Mudge / William Dutton and James McCabe. The sale will also feature a good selection of Sculpture and Grand Tour items. The bronze of Psyche awakening Cupid (image 3) was sculpted by the French artist Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887) he was a pupil of David d’Angers and was one of the founding members of the Société Nationale des BeauxArts. He is probably most well known for the fact that Auguste Rodin worked as his assistant between 1864 and 1870. The story of Cupid and Psyche is originally from Metamorphoses and concerns itself with the obstacles of love between Psyche (Soul) and Cupid or Amor (Desire/Love) and their eventual sacred marriage. The bronze depicts the moment when Psyche (who was told by her sisters that Cupid was a vile winged serpent) uses a lamp to see Cupid and kill him, but when the light reveals such a beautiful creature she startles and subsequently wounds herself on one of Cupid’s arrows. Struck with a feverish passion she spills hot oil from the lamp and wakes him.
Opposite. A fine George II walnut longcase clock by George Graham no.670, 256cm high. Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000
2. A novelty mahogany, rosewood and brass mounted guillotine cigar cutter, 56.7cm high. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
1. A pair of French
3. Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse
mahogany and ormolu mounted bergères attributed to Francois Linke, 100cm high. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000
(French 1824-1887). A bronze group of Psyche awakening Cupid, 53.2cm wide. Estimate: £5,000 – 8,000
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Lallement and the Olivier brothers in the 1860s. This French design was sometimes called the boneshaker, since it was made entirely of wood, then later with metal tyres, and that, in combination with the cobblestone roads of the day, made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. These velocipedes also became a fad and indoor riding academies, similar to roller rinks, could be found in large cities.
4. A 19th century wood and iron boneshaker, 134cm high. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,500
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One of the more unusual lots in the sale is this 19th century ‘velocipede’ boneshaker bicycle (image 4). The term ‘velocipede’ was coined in 1818 by Nicéphore Niépce to describe his own ‘improved’ version of the Drais Laufmaschine, that included an adjustable saddle. It was, however, almost 40 years until ‘velocipede’ came into common usage as a generic term, with the launch of the first pedal-equipped bicycle, developed by Pierre Michaux, Pierre F urniture , W orks
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A rt & C locks | 5
SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU 23rd & 24th January 2018
6 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialists: RUPERT SLINGSBY +44 (0) 1722 424 501 rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
LUCY CHALMERS +44 (0) 1722 424 594 lc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A private collection of toothpick boxes. Estimates from £100 – 400
1. An early 20th century Dutch silver goat cream jug, length 14.5cm, approx. weight 5oz. Estimate: £700 – 900
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The 23rd/24th January Silver & Objects of Vertu auction comprises several private collections, including one of Old Sheffield plate, vertu, foreign silver, flatware, antique and modern items, Irish and Scottish silver. The market for small and decorative items is strong and the auction will include a number of interesting lots which will appeal to collectors. This includes a private collection of silver, ivory and tortoiseshell toothpick boxes (opposite). Toothpick boxes were at their height around 1800, and often decorated with intricate inlay in gold, silver or mother-of-pearl, and most contained a small mirror inside. The collection comprises of approximately 20 lots, and also includes filigree examples. Extending pencils were popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and inspiration for their design was often taken from landmarks, with rarer designs being especially collectible. This is particularly well illustrated in a pencil modelled as Nelson’s column (image 7). Objects modelled as animals or birds are always popular and continue to be attractive to the collector’s market.
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2. A pair of Norwegian novelty silver polar bear pepper pots, by David Andersen, also with Swedish import marks, height 5.3cm. Estimate: £200 – 300 3. A modern silver cow creamer, by Herbert & Lawrence Parsons, for Tessiers Ltd, London 1967, the hinged cover with a fly finial, length 15cm. Estimate: £300 – 400
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4. A pair of George III silver
7. Nelson interest, a Victorian
salt cellars, by Paul Storr, London 1817, length 10.2cm. Estimate: £700 – 900
novelty silver retractable pencil, marked with a lozenge registration number, and TF, modelled as Nelson’s column, the base inscribed Copenhagen, St. Vincent, Nile and Trafalgar, in a case, length, shut 9.7cm. Estimate: £400 – 600
5. A pair of George III old Sheffield plated wine coolers, by T and J Creswick, circa 1810, height 21.5cm. Estimate: £600 – 700
6. A Indonesian silver bowl, by Agnes Van Gessler Verschuir, circa 1930, on a carved wooden plinth, diameter 23cm. Estimate: £200 – 300
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One of the more unusual animals are polar bears, and offered in the sale is the pair of salt and pepper pots by David Andersen, also with Swedish import marks (image 2).
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The January auction will have a private collection of 100 lots of wine labels, comprising silver, ceramic and mother-of-pearl examples, and includes a Pinchbeck label titled Syder, stamped CP for Christopher Pinchbeck.
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S ilver & O bject s
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V ertu | 7
Jewellery & Watches 25th January 2018
Lupino Lane Jewellery Lupino Lane (1892-1959) starred in the 1937 musical Me and My Girl as the cockney barrow boy who inherits an Earldom. He sang and danced the famous Lambeth Walk always finishing the chorus with an ‘oi’. It became a show stopper and swept the country including Buckingham Palace, where King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended a performance, joining in the shouted ‘oi’. The musical developed into an international craze including New York and Paris with Duke Ellington covering the song. It was even popular in Germany much to Hitler’s displeasure. Lupino Lane had brought light into the lives of the war-torn allied nations. To commemorate the song and dance, Lupino Lane had some jewellery made for his wife Violet Blythe pertinent to the ‘Lambeth Walk’. These pieces were inherited by his granddaughter who has offered them for sale and they are included in the January auction. 8 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialists: marielle whiting fga +44 (0) 1722 424 595 mw@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. Lupino Lane
2. A pair of yellow and
5. A Regency REGARD
‘Lambeth Walk’ jewellery. Estimates from £400 – 6,000
white diamond-set heart earrings, set in platinum and yellow gold. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000
ring, set with a ruby, an emerald, a garnet, an amethyst, a ruby and a diamond, spelling out the word ‘regard’, in engraved yellow gold mount, size O ½. Estimate: £600 – 800
1. A 19th century ruby and jonathan edwards FGAA (consultant) +44 (0) 1722 424 504 je@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
diamond necklace, set with alternating ruby and diamond clusters and diamond-set oval links. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000
3. A 19th century intertwined witches heart brooch, beneath a bow, set with rose-cut diamonds in silver and gold, 2.2cm wide. Estimate: £400 – 600
4. An Art Deco tourmaline and diamond cluster ring, size P 1/2. Estimate: £400 – 600
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8. A hardstone cameo of the Emperor Constantine, 4th Century AD. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000 9. A Victorian mistletoe brooch, set with diamonds, demantoid garnets and seed pearls. Estimate: £400 – 600
6. A Victorian heart-shaped moonstone and diamond pendant. Estimate: £100 – 200
10. A gold pair-cased repeating pocket watch, signed Thomas Martin London, Hallmarked 1730. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
7. A late 19th century lover’s knot brooch, set with diamonds on red enamel, enamel and seed pearl border. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
11. An Edwardian pendant, mounted with opals, diamonds and rubies. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000 12. An Art Nouveau diamond pendant, set in platinum. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000
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13. A sapphire and diamond abstract bracelet by John Donald. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000
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Jewellery & Watches | 9
Modern British Art from the estate of the late Geoffrey Harley 7th February 2018
10 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialists: Victor Fauvelle +44 (0) 1722 424 503 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
jo butler +44 (0) 1722 424 592 jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite (detail).
1. William Scott RA
3. Paul Feiler (1918-2013)
4. Duncan Grant
William Selby (b.1933) Thorncombe Beacon Signed Mixed media on board 72 x 88cm Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
(1913-1989) Fish on a plate Signed verso Oil on canvas 63 x 76cm Estimate: £80,000 – 90,000
Related Forms IV Signed, titled and dated 1966/67 verso Oil on canvas 46 x 46cm Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000
(1885-1978) Still life of fruit Signed and dated 16.70 Oil on canvas 61 x 77cm Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000
2. Patrick Heron (1920-1999) Sixteen by 20: September 1975 Signed, titled and dated verso, Oil on canvas 41 x 51cm Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000
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Geoffrey Harley (1937-2016) Geoffrey started his career dealing in antiques when he took a stand on the Portobello Road. In due course this led to the opening of the South London Antiques Centre located on the Fulham Road with another shop in Dulwich. In 1977, against the advice of his friends, Geoffrey moved out of London to The Comedy located near Christian Malford in Wiltshire where he converted the stable block into nine extensive showrooms. From the first it was a great success and his clients 3
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included Royalty, stars from the showbusiness world and numerous English and American dealers. Geoffrey always dealt on the large scale and his buying trips in Bath were legendary. The dealers there benefitted not only from his purchases but also from the American trade who moved onto Bath once they had seen Geoffrey.
house in Portugal available to his numerous friends. He was very much a dealer of his age and it is hard to imagine anyone trading on such a scale today. Geoffrey didn’t deal in pictures so this sale of his paintings and sculpture is very much his private collection reflecting his personal tastes.
He was an immensely generous man – his trade Christmas parties were an annual highlight and he made his 18th century 4
M odern B ritish A rt
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T he L ate G eoffrey H arley | 11
Fine Porcelain & Pottery 20th February 2018
12 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialist: Clare Durham +44 (0) 1722 424 507 cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. An Italian maiolica
2. A fine gold-mounted
4. Two Russian porcelain eggs,
6. A Bristol delftware plate,
plaque, probably Deruta, dated 1586, copying Benedetto di Maiano’s marble of the Madonna and Child, 44.8cm. Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000
Meissen snuff box, c.1740, finely painted in purple monochrome with scenes of courting couples in formal garden settings, 7.6cm across. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000
from the Imperial Factory at St Petersburg, gilded with monograms for the Romanov family. Estimate: £400 – 600
c.1720, painted with a bottle kiln. Estimate: £400 – 600
5. A rare set of Derby figures of the Four Quarters of the Globe, c.1760, modelled as children depicting Asia, America, Africa and Europe, 20cm. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
1. A Swansea cabinet cup, c.1815, painted by George Beddow with a titled view of the Old Bridge at Hawick, 12.5cm high. Estimate: £400 – 600
Few subjects in Italian art can have been depicted as often or with as much variety as the Madonna and Child. This devotional (and indeed seasonal) image has been handled by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, but one image in particular was widely copied by Italy’s maiolica pottery artists. Benedetto di Maiano’s sculpture of 1490 now resides in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and is the direct source for this maiolica plaque dated 1586, probably made at Deruta. The fleshy infant Jesus is thought to have inspired the young Michelangelo, and his firm grip on the ends of his mother’s veil is a conceit that art scholars have suggested Benedetto borrowed from Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna with the Carnation of 1478-80. The detail on the plaque is finely painted and the date is a rare addition. As always, a number of private collections bring a diverse interest to the sale. The collection of the late Reverend John Perry, a former Methodist minister, focuses on the life of John Wesley, while a number of lots of Russian porcelain eggs from the collection of Dr Venetia Newall reflect her research for her book An Egg At Easter, a well-informed and fascinating discourse on the tradition of egg-giving across the centuries. A private collection of 18th century English delftware put together over several decades includes gems such as this Bristol delftware plate painted with a bottle kiln, another example of which is in the collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
3. A Chelsea rose box and cover, c.1755, modelled as a large pink bloom with a rosebud handle, 7cm high. Estimate: £500 – 800
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F ine P orcelain & P ottery | 13
TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES 21st February 2018
14 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialist: Will Hobbs +44 (0) 1722 339 752 wh@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A Yup’ik mask, Alaska, 55cm high. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000
1. An Aborigine narrow shield, South East Australia, 19th century, 82cm long. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000
3. A Tibetan Tiger rug, 186cm x 96cm. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
2. Three kapkap, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, 7cm, 12.5cm and 14cm diameter. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
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Offered in the sale is small collection of Aboriginal clubs, shields, boomerangs and spear throwers collected by a young Arthur Allen, a man who travelled to Australia in 1893 looking to make his fortune in the gold mines. He ended up with a team of horses transporting wood and water to the mines, returning to the UK in 1905 with the collection which includes the fine narrow shield (image 1). The shield would have been used to deflect spears and the slender shape would have given the owner more mobility. The wavy lines would have been carved with a possum tooth and the lozenges are highlighted with red ochre. The collection of the late Dr J S Gordon includes both tribal art and antiquities in which a small group of Tibetan tiger rugs are a colourful and interesting inclusion (image 3). These rugs were not really seen out of Tibet until the end of the late 1970s. Tiger skins are depicted on thangkas, being worn by deities and seen on paintings of Yogins on pelts in various stages of contemplation. The rug is thought to have started to replace the pelts imported from India at the beginning of the 19th century. There are three distinct groups; the pelt; ‘happy tigers’ walking through bamboo, often in pairs and the abstract form, as illustrated with rainbow ends. The kapkap is a chest ornament from Melanesia in the Pacific, occurring from coastal New Guinea to the Santa Cruz Islands. Worn mainly by men and made from the shell of the giant clam (tridacna), fashioned into a disc and then applied with a geometrically cut turtle shell circular panel. The three illustrated here (image 2) are from New Ireland. 3
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T ribal A rt & A ntiquities | 15
OLD MASTERS, BRITISH & EUROPEAN PAINTINGS 7th March 2018
16 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialists: Victor Fauvelle +44 (0) 1722 424 503 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
jo butler +44 (0) 1722 424 592 jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 17th January
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Opposite (detail).
1. Edouard Cortès (French 1882-1969) The July column, Place de la Bastille, Paris at night Signed, oil on canvas 50 x 85cm Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000
Giovanni della Rocca (Italian 1788-1858) Fisherfolk playing cards on the shore in the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius beyond Signed, oil on canvas 35 x 76cm Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000
2. Gian Gianni (Italian b.1837) An extensive view over the bay of Naples Oil on canvas 72.5 x 104cm Estimate: £1,500 – 2,500
3. John Bell (1811-1895) A capriccio view of an Italian lake Circa 1880 Oil on canvas 65 x 101cm Estimate: £1,500 – 2,500
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Amongst the highlights for the March sale are two fine but contrasting views of the Naples coastline. Artists have been attracted to the panoramic Neapolitan coastline for centuries as the light from the Mediterranean makes this landscape a spectacular subject and its strong links with antiquity add to its appeal. Perhaps the most frequently seen aspect of Naples is the sweep of the bay looking north with the Naples waterfront stretching into the distance, a view that has been revisited by every generation of Neapolitan artists. However, these two works are both from very different
viewpoints and accentuate contrasting aspects of the local area. Della Rocca (opposite) paints his view with Vesuvius as a backdrop, a group of fishermen taking centre stage, enjoying a game of cards in the afternoon. Gianni (image 2), unusually, paints the coast from quite a distance inland and succeeds in including the whole of the bay, Vesuvius and the city of Naples in this panoramic view. Ingeniously, tall trees and travellers in the foreground set the scale for the whole composition. Both paintings are bathed in a golden light and clear skies, typical of this delightful area.
Edouard Cortès (image 1) was the son of the Spanish painter Antonio Cortès and was destined to be a painter from an early age. He became a member of the Salon des Artistes Français in 1907 and developed his own style of depicting Parisian life. He seemed to relish all that the Parisian climate could throw at him and many of his best Parisian scenes depict the city in poor weather. Here he shows the city at dusk with the shops and cafés lit up as cosy refuges from the rain.
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O ld M asters , B ritish & E uropean P aintings | 17
Clarice Cliff, art deco & Design 21st March 2018
18 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialist: michael jeffery +44 (0) 1722 424 505 mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 2nd February
The Design section of the auction includes an extensive collection of Richard Parkinson Pottery designed by Susan Parkinson in the 1960s. The collector purchased many of the pieces directly from Susan Parkinson and also reputedly swapped packets of cigarettes brought back from France for pots. Susan Parkinson studied at the Royal College of Art where she met Richard Parkinson whom she would marry the following year 1949. After a period working and learning from Harry Davis at the Crowan Pottery Richard & Susan set up their own pottery in the barn of Susan’s sister and brother in law at Lodge House in Kent. Whilst Richard produced domestic ware Susan was free to produce more sculptural figures - including a lion and unicorn group - designed for the Festival of Britain (in 1951) but produced after 1
Opposite. A Group of Briglin
1. A Richard Parkinson
Pottery porcelain figures of actors, designed by Susan Parkinson, comprising Paul Robeson, Sir Laurence Olivier, Vivian Leigh, Sir John Gielgud and Dame Margot Fonteyn, tallest 34cm high (Paul Robeson). Estimate: £400 – 600 each
Pottery advertising booklet, 1961.
2. A Richard Parkinson Pottery porcelain hand designed by Susan Parkinson, 34.5cm long. Estimate: £200 – 300
the event and into the 1960s. The fledgling pottery was supported by Henry Rothschild, via his London gallery Primavera and he was also instrumental in getting work consigned to the Victoria & Albert Museum’s ceramic collection. The collection includes rare examples of large theatrical figures made at the Briglin Pottery to Susan’s design. These figures comprise Sir Laurence Olivier as Henry V, Vivien Leigh as Cleopatra, Sir John Gielgud as Hamlet and Dame Margot Fonteyn as Ondine and the final figure in the group Paul Robeson as Othello. It is believed that the cost of production was so high that the Parkinson’s stopped making the figure and that only six were produced.
3. A rare Richard Parkinson Pottery porcelain bust of Sir Winston Churchill designed by Susan Parkinson, 22cm high. Estimate: £400 – 600
5. A Richard Parkinson Pottery porcelain model of two seated cats designed by Susan Parkinson, 26cm high Estimate: £150 – 250
6. A Richard Parkinson 4. A Richard Parkinson Pottery porcelain model of a policeman designed by Susan Parkinson, 33cm high. Estimate: £400 – 600
Pottery porcelain Poseidon moneybox designed by Susan Parkinson, 13cm high Estimate: £120 – 180
Stylish and very much of the period (1951-1960) the figures were often modelled and decorated with a sense of humour and charm - the two cats (image 5) are painted with geometric decoration with one having a fish skeleton painted inside its stomach. The final figure produced was a bust portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, model number 131, dating it to 1960. Approved by Churchill shortly before he died - it is believed only 5 examples were finished.
Susan Parkinson (1925 - 2012)
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CL arice C liff , A rt D eco & D esign | 19
MEDALS & COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR 3rd May 2018
20 | Woolley & Wallis
Specialist: Ned COwell +44 (0) 1722 341 469 nc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 23rd March
A Fatal Fragment Enthusiasts view medals as a tangible link to the life and career of the man or woman who received them, and they are right to do so. A considerable part of the satisfaction to be derived from their study resides in the realisation of the humanity that they represent. Occasionally however, one encounters a link to such a life that is far more intimate and arresting. Here we consider the shell fragment that killed Lieutenant Commander Arthur Gerald Onslow, C.S.C., R.N., during the night action at Jutland, 31st May/1st June 1916, while he was in command of the destroyer H.M.S. Onslaught. It is a four-inch lump of jagged steel weighing 18 oz., and one reads with horror the recollections of a man who served as Midshipman in the Onslaught on that shattering and brutal night: “[the
Opposite. A display
1. A selection of arms to be
mounted shell fragment, being that which ended the life of Lt. Cdr. A.G. Onslow, C.G.C., R.N., at the Battle of Jutland. Estimate: £150 – 200
offered in our auction of May 3rd 2018. Estimates from £200 – 800
fragment] came out of his back when I was attending him on the fore messdeck. Somewhat grissley [sic] but there it is.” The career of ‘Jerry’ Onslow is a medal collector’s delight. Not only did he command the Onslaught at the seminal Battle of Jutland, torpedoing S.M.S. Pommern (the only battleship on either side to be sunk during the battle) and participating in the fierce action of the following night; he had earlier been, as a Midshipman, one of only eight recipients of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross – the forerunner to the Distinguished Service Cross and one of the rarest of all decorations. He won this in 1904 fighting on land on the Somali Pirate Coast (he stormed a nest of snipers in a dramatic close-quarters action) and it recently sold for £5,500.
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2. A mid-18th Century English basket hilted cavalry sword. Sold for £1,040
When we speak of our admiration for the recipients of medals we do so with unalloyed sincerity. Yet it is impossible, for those of us without experience of war, to feel the full weight of words like ‘courage’ and ‘sacrifice’. Lt. Cdr. Onslow’s fatal steel splinter (estimated at £150-200 with other items), though of little monetary value compared to his medals, is of incalculable value as an object lesson. To touch the remorseless cold metal, to read the sickening words, is to have a faraway view of the hell in which he was valiant enough not only to endure, but to discharge his duty to the utmost effect. It reminds us to cherish those incomparable men and women who, to this very day, place themselves between us and the shell fragments.
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A Phoenix from the Rust Collectors are becoming ever more discerning. All can see the wisdom in reserving funds for the very best in one’s chosen field, and great attention is paid to condition. We are all accustomed to recoil from damage and deterioration. Sometimes though, one encounters a group of weapons, gone slightly to seed, in which the fundamental merits of the items prevail over the deficiencies in condition.
Expecting to plunge into the depths, one alights, not even ankle deep, on the bedrock of the original collector’s discerning mind. Part of such a collection was included in our 22nd November auction, and the remainder will be offered in our next sale on the 3rd May 2018. One example of the principle at work was a mid-18th Century English basket hilted cavalry sword – at a glance lamentably rusted
and with missing parts – but scarce and interesting enough to have sold for £1,040. We look forward, in May, to offering the remainder of the collection, many parts of which have in fact escaped the ravages of time, and other parts of which require but a degree of judicious restoration to make them the pride of the next generation of collectors.
M edals & C oins , A rms & A rmour | 21
ASIAN ART 22nd & 23rd May 2018
22 | Woolley & Wallis
SpecialistS: John Axford +44 (0) 1722 424 506 jea@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
JEREMY MORGAN +44 (0) 7812 601 098 jm@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A large 13th
1. A rare Chinese Imperial
2. A fine Chinese scholar’s
century Tibetan bronze figure of the Bodhisattva Padmapani. Sold for £110,000 November 2017
pale blue-ground Ru-type two-handled archaistic vase, six character yongzheng mark and of the period 1723-35. Sold for £162,500 November 2017
table screen from the late 18th century depicting a scene from the Romance of the Western Chamber. Provenance: From the collection of Henry Bridges Fearon, 1907-1995, purchased from Spink & Son. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
Closing date for entries, 2nd March
3. The Twelve Treasures anniversary catalogue.
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Literati Lovers, Imperial Porcelains & A Heavenly Figure
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Recently consigned for our 2018 Spring sale is this fine Chinese scholar’s table screen from the late 18th century depicting a scene from the Romance of the Western Chamber. It illustrates Cui Ying Ying kneeling before her mother begging for her acceptance and approval of a young penniless scholar she loves. The silk screen is painted in watercolour and inset with intricate soapstone details and carries an estimate of £4,000 – 6,000. Leading our recent November sale was this rare Chinese Imperial Ru-type archaistic vase from the Yongzheng Emperor’s reign (1723-35). Consigned from a Scottish private collection and despite a small crack, it fetched £162,500. The large 13th century Tibetan bronze figure (opposite) of the Bodhisattva Padmapani was consigned from the collection of the late Dr John Simpson Gordon. Like the table screen opposite, it was purchased from the London dealership Spink & Son. It opened the November sale as lot 1, selling for £110,000.
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Anniversary Catalogue 2017 marks a full Chinese zodiac cycle of twelve years since Woolley and Wallis first held a sale dedicated to Asian Art. To mark this anniversary we have published a special hardback catalogue which highlights some of our achievements over these years. If you would like a copy of this catalogue please contact the department and we will be happy to post you one free of charge.
A sian A rt | 23
CHINESE PAINTINGS 22nd May 2018
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Specialist: Freya Yuan-Richards +44 (0) 1722 424 589 fyr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 2nd March
Opposite (detail). A Chinese landscape painting on paper after Yun Shou Ping, 164.5cm x 55cm. Provenance: an English private collection, acquired in 1980. Sold for £27,500
1. A Chinese scroll painting on paper by Xie Zhi Liu (1910-1997), 79cm x 46cm. Provenance: an English private collection, given by the artist between c.1960 and 1980. Sold for £12,500
2. A Chinese painting on
4. A Chinese painting on
paper by Cheong Soo Pieng (1917-1983), signed and dated 1960, 43.5cm x 94.5cm. Sold for £12,500
paper after Huang Zhou, 91cm x 51 cm. Provenance: an English private collection, acquired in Hong Kong between c.1960 and 1980. Sold for £11,875
3. A Chinese painting on pater after Li Ke Ran, 20th century, 91cm x 51cm. Provenance: a Dutch private collection acquired in 1993. Sold for £27,500
Hidden Scrolls Chinese porcelains are famous throughout the world but less well known, at least in the West, are Chinese paintings. The history of Chinese painting is long and varied, with the earliest known examples dating from the Qin dynasty around 200BC. The majority are on scrolls of fabric (bo), or silk (juan) or paper painted in watercolour.
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As in Renaissance Europe, artists first learned by rote, where the master shows the ‘right way’ to paint and the original ‘old masters’ were then copied by subsequent artists over the centuries. The best of these imitations are considered works of art in their own right and their painters have subsequently also become celebrated. A good example of this is the artist Yun Shou Ping (1633-1690) (opposite) whose style was based on an earlier Song Dynasty artist. This landscape in our last sale fetched £27,500. Yun was one of the Six Masters of the early Qing dynasty, who early in his life, devoted himself to landscape painting, copying earlier works by the most famous artists. This landscape has an inscription which suggests it is one of his earlier works painted in the style of Song dynasty master, Zhao Bo Ju (1120-1182). It was a standard practice for painters to inscribe and stamp their work, but in China collectors also customarily marked their paintings with their own personal seals and with dedications of approval and admiration. Here, apart from two of Yun’s seals, there is also a seal of a 20th century collector, Chen Ren Tao (1906-1968).
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It is not only ancient paintings that are highly sought after, modern and contemporary examples are also in high demand. From a private English collection, the large chrysanthemum spray by Xie Zhi Liu (1910-1997), sold for £12,500. Thanks to the inscription and mark, it suggested that this was given as a gift to current owner’s father but the scroll had never been opened before. There can be significant value in Chinese paintings, but due to their very nature as scrolls, they were never intended for permanent display and many in the west are rolled up for safe keeping. Painting has always been regarded as the highest form of art by the Chinese, considered the equal of poetry and philosophy and if you have Chinese scroll paintings languishing in a drawer and would like to have them valued, please do give me a ring, they may be treasure! C hinese P aintings | 25
JAPANESE WORKS OF ART 23rd May 2018
The irresistible appeal of Japanese Damascene The Asian Art sale held on 14th-15th November included a selection of highquality Japanese Komai ware. This pair of vases signed Kyoto no ju Komai sei (‘Made by Komai of Kyoto’) was the highlight of the Japanese section and sold for £25,000. All Komai pieces were highly contested between three telephone bidders and all sold for prices over the estimates, realising a total of £59,000.
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Specialist: Alexandra Aguilar Doméracki +44 (0) 1722 424 583 aad@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A pair of Japanese Komai vases, c.1880, 21.4cm. Provenance: from the collection of Hugh Gibson. Sold for £25,000 November 2017
1. A large and impressive Satsuma vase, Meiji Period (1868-1912), signed Kinkozan zo and Shōzan, 29cm. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
Closing date for entries, 2nd March
2. A rare Kakiemon water dropper in the shape of a boy, c.1670-90, 14cm. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
3. A copper alloy and shakudo articulated model of a crab, Meiji Period (1868-1912), 26cm max. Provenance: purchased in Buenos Aires in 1983 and in a private English collection since. Estimate: £600 – 800
A Satsuma masterpiece With its extravagantly enamelled and gilded decoration, Satsuma ware was made to capture the imagination of Westerners. The May sale includes this impressive Satsuma vase (image 1) from the Kinkozan workshop, which was without doubt made to produce this effect. The bulbous body is richly painted with a continuous scene depicting numerous figures in a teahouse between dense bands of flowerheads. The many delightful details (such as the young beauty whose face is reflected in a hand mirror, or the silhouettes of figures seen through paper screens) give a fascinating insight into the everyday life of Old Japan. Due to its large size and the quality of the decoration, this vase was probably made as a unique exhibition piece and is already one of the highlights of the Japanese sale.
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The earliest private inventory of Japanese art in the world Also consigned in our May sale is this rare water dropper shaped as a boy and decorated in the Kakiemon palette of red, blue and turquoise green (image 2). Only a handful of these are known to exist and this figure is the pendant to another water dropper with similar decoration in the Burghley House collection of Japanese and Chinese art (inventory number CER0300). The collection at Burghley House is not only renowned for its quality, but also for the 1688 Inventory, the first private one mentioning Japanese porcelain. The Inventory, drawn up by Culpepper Tanner, personal secretary to John, Fifth Earl of Exeter (1648-1700), places the water dropper in ‘My Lords Dressing Roome…’ and describes it as ‘China over ye Chimney…figures with Juggs att their backs’.
Jizai okimono: the Japanese art of articulated animals When the Meiji restoration in 1868 forbade samurai from openly wearing swords, metalwork artists and factories had to find alternative markets to avoid bankruptcy. Some turned towards producing everyday objects for the upper classes, such as Komai ware, while others specialised in making okimono: ornaments for display. Jizai okimono are a subcategory of fully articulated metal sculptures, often depicting animals. The copper alloy crab with shakudo eyes (image 3) consigned in our May sale is one such example. A feat of ingenuity, its lifelike appearance must have made it an attractive souvenir for a Western tourist in Japan at the end of the 19th century.
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J apanese W orks
of
A rt | 27
Poems by Siegfried Sassoon A manuscript book of verse sold by Private Treaty to the University Library, Cambridge.
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Woolley and Wallis have been fortunate in handling a number of personal items connected with Siegfried Sassoon. In 2010 his Officer’s service jacket with his Captain’s rank insignia and Military Cross ribbon was sold for £10,000 having come to auction by direct descent from Sassoon himself (image right). Items with direct links and a good provenance will always be highly sought after. Earlier this year we were contacted by a client who had a number of items for sale through different Departments. One item, however, stood out from the rest. This was a small (6 inches by 5 ½ inches) vellum bound book of manuscript verse by Sassoon. With 66 leaves, the book also contains a number of illustrations alongside the poems, all of which, with some minor variations, have been published elsewhere. The title page is dated December 1917 and was presented to Lady Ottoline Morrell in January 1918 as he recorded in his diary ‘Friday 12th. I sent Ottoline M a book of poems the other day, & this morning comes her reply, full of superlatives. Does she admire my things as much as all that? Of course what she writes about my drawings & Blake is nonsense’ Sassoon had begun a friendship with Lady Ottoline Morrell, the great literary hostess, in the summer of 1916 while he was recuperating from ‘some sort of gastric fever’ contracted during the battle of the Somme. He spent a week in September at Garsington, the Morrell home with Ottoline and her pacifist husband, Philip, a Liberal MP. As a result of that visit, Ottoline had presented him with a notebook in which he transcribed a number of poems. This volume was acquired by The University Library in 2009 and it is most appropriate that the present volume will now take its place on the shelf next to that first notebook. The seller was keen for the notebook to be sold to an appropriate institution and The University Library was the obvious home. Their enthusiasm for the notebook has made the sale particularly rewarding. Poems, an autograph notebook of verse by Siegfried Sassoon, sold by Private Treaty to the University Library, Cambridge for £35,000
P oems
by
S iegfried S assoon | 29
s al es review SE P TE M B ER
Old Masters, British & European Paintings William Callow (1812-1908) Isola dei Pescatori, Lago Maggiori, Italy Signed and dated 1870 Watercolour, 22 x 35cm Sold for £6,320
Tribal Art & Antiquities A Lake Sentani standing female figure Papua New Guineawood, with her hands resting below her breasts, 76cm high. Sold for £45,500 An 19th century Inuit harpoon was brought to the salerooms having originally been purchased at a Salisbury car boot sale, intended for use as a walking stick. This was an unusual example of narwhal tusk as the characteristic ridges had been removed, leaving a smooth surface. The lot more than doubled its estimate, with an impressive price of £4,300.
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*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 25% for Asian Art sales and 22% for all other sales.
s al es review O C TO B ER
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks Our October furniture sale showcased a diverse collection of oak and walnut furniture, fireplaces, works of art, sculpture and sporting items. The star lot was an unusual pair of French Empire porcelain and ormolu urns, brought to us on a valuation day. These were identified by their faux tortoiseshell porcelain ground to be by Sevres, and very similar to a pair sold by Christie’s in Geneva back in 1996. After a great deal of interest they surpassed their estimate with an impressive hammer price of £29,280. Among other highlights was the striking William and Mary lignum vitae wassail bowl featured in the previous Sale News, which achieved a strong price of £17,100, and a wonderful private collection of ivories which realised £56,000.
Design Demetre Chiparus (1886-1947) Friends Forever (Les Amis de Toujours), A large cold painted bronze and ivory figure. Sold for £39,050 ‘Red Cafe’, a rare Clarice Cliff Bizarre Mei Ping vase. Sold for £8,750
*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 25% for Asian Art sales and 22% for all other sales.
S ales R eview | 31
sales review OCTOBER English & European Ceramics & Glass
Fine Jewellery & Watches
A large and rare cider glass c.1755-60, the generous bucket bowl engraved with a fruiting apple branch, raised on a mercury twist stem, 17cm. Exhibited at The Glass Circle Diamond Jubilee exhibition, 1997, no. 70. Sold for £4,635
An impressive diamond cluster ring by Bulgari, set with a round brilliant-cut diamond weighing 8.15cts, in platinum, with a further pear-shaped diamond to each shoulder, the additional diamonds total approximately 4.64cts. Sold for £97,600
Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu One of the most colourful lots in our October silver sale also proved to be the most popular with buyers. A Russian silver-gilt and enamel box by Feodor Ruckert, Moscow 1908-17, with varied coloured foliate enamel decoration and set with coloured stones, far exceeded its estimate with a price of £10,000. Feodor Ruckert was one of Faberge’s workmasters, specialising in cloisonné enamel for the Moscow workshop. He also worked independently for himself and other retailers, and his work is now highly desirable due to its unique and recognisable style and vivid use of colour.
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*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 25% for Asian Art sales and 22% for all other sales.
sales review N o v e mb e r Modern British & 20th Century Art
Asian Art A bronze sculpture ‘Taichi’ by Ju Ming (1938-), 1991, signed, numbered 2/20, 38cm. Provenance: from the collection of the late Michael Sherrard QC., purchased from Hanart 2 Contemporary Art, Hong Kong on 16th November 1991. Sold for £21,875
Laurence Stephen Lowry RA (1887-1976) Figure study Signed and dated 1949 Oil on canvas, 22.5 x 15cm Sold for £119,560
A rare Chinese blue and white pear-shaped ‘Peony’ vase, Yuhuchunping, with six character Jiajing mark and of the period 1522-66, 31.3cm. Provenance: formerly from an English private collection, purchased from Sotheby’s London, the Contents of Sheffield Park, Uckfield, Sussex, 8th March 1954, lot 40. Sold for £87,500
Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour The Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour sale saw strong bidding in all categories, and it included some notable achievements: such as the medals to Ian White, 17th 21st Lancers and Special Air Service, which sold for £36,600 (illustrated). Another excellent outcome was arrived at for the vendor of an outstanding Waterloo Medal, which we sold by private treaty to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum (the successor regiment to the Scots Greys, in which the recipient had served), in a move that not only achieved an excellent price, but satisfied the owner’s desire that the medal should be settled in its natural home. A very good selection of edged weapons and firearms provoked vigorous competition, with high sums being achieved for a number of excellent Eastern swords and daggers including a fine Persian dagger which sold for £5,610.
*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 25% for Asian Art sales and 22% for all other sales.
S ales R eview | 33
EVENTS The Tim Woolley Memorial Lecture By Paul Atterbury Women War Artists Friday 19th January 2018 at 7pm There is still time to purchase tickets for the upcoming Tim Woolley Memorial Lecture, which this year focuses on the fascinating subject of Women War Artists and their impact on the historical documentation of the First and Second World Wars. Attendees are also invited to view the Jewellery and Silver sales prior to the lecture.
For more information and to reserve tickets please contact Amanda Lawrence on 01722 424509 al@woolleyandwallis.co.uk or visit www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/events
Staff NEWS Congratulations to Alexandra
Adrian Hailwood appointed
Congratulations to Alexandra Aguilar Doméracki from the Asian Art department who made her auction debut on day two of the November sale when she took to the rostrum to sell the Japanese & Korean Art section.
Adrian Hailwood has joined the company as the wristwatch specialist, working within the Jewellery department.
Originally from Dijon, Alexandra studied at the University of Burgundy, including a year spent at the University of Manchester, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Art History and Archaeology in 2005. She then went on to complete a Master’s degree in Japanese Art History (MSc by research) at the University of Edinburgh. Alexandra now concentrates on the Japanese section of the Asian Art sales and has a particular interest in netsuke. Her confident, professional and expressive French performance was very well received by buyers and she will carry on gaining
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as wristwatch specialist
experience with other auctions throughout next year. She had the pleasure of selling a pair of Japanese Komai vases for £25,000 as her top lot. Alex commented: ‘I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given to go on the rostrum for the Asian Art sale. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process of meeting clients, consigning their goods, researching them and eventually selling them. I took much pleasure in auctioneering and I look forward to doing it again.’
With over twenty years’ experience of the luxury watch and jewellery industry gained with names such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Breguet Adrian was previously a Director of Fellows Auctioneers. Adrian has had a lifelong fascination with watches, seeing them as artefacts of social history, intrigued by context as much as mechanisms and enjoying the heroic failures along with the enduring successes. When not sourcing or valuing watches, Adrian writes on the subject for a variety of print and online publications.
Chairman Paul Viney commented “I’m delighted that Adrian has joined us. He already has an impressive track record in what is rapidly becoming an increasingly important area of the market. Initially wristwatches will continue to be included in our jewellery auctions but in due course we are hoping to have stand-alone wristwatch sales.”
Specialists Chairman
Deputy Chairman
Managing Director
Paul Viney ASFAV
John Axford MRICS ASFAV
Clive Stewart-Lockhart FRICS FRSA
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 502
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 506
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 598
pslv@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
jea@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
csl@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Paintings
Asian Art
Silver
Jo Butler
Alexandra Aguilar DomĂŠracki
Lucy Chalmers
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 592
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 583
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 594
jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
aad@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
lc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour
English & European Ceramics & Glass
Jewellery (consultant)
Ned Cowell
Clare Durham
Jonathan Edwards FGAA
T: +44 (0) 1722 341 469
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 507
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 504
nc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
je@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Paintings
Watches
Tribal Art & Antiquities
Victor Fauvelle
Adrian Hailwood
Will Hobbs
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 503
T: +44 (0) 7775 788 500
T: +44 (0) 1722 339 752
vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
ah@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
wh@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
20th Century Design
PA to the Directors
Asian Art
Michael Jeffery
Amanda Lawrence
Jeremy Morgan
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 505
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 509
T: +44 (0) 7812 601 098
mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
al@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
jm@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Asian Art
Silver
Jewellery
Marta Olszewska
Rupert Slingsby
Marielle Whiting FGA
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 591
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 501
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 595
mo@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
mw@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Asian Art
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
Marketing
Freya Yuan-Richards
Mark Yuan-Richards
Tamzin Corbett
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 589
T: +44 (0) 1722 411 854
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 590
fyr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
myr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
tc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Insurance & Probate Valuations
Asian Art
Specialist Sales Departments Review | 35 | 35
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