Chorley's Newsletter | July 2019

PRINKNASH ABBEY PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL4 8EU 01452 344499

SALEROOM NEWS JULY 2019 Lot 572

Summer Country House Sale: Tuesday 23 & Wednesday 24 July Following the extremely successful sales of items from Beverston Castle, Ombersley Court and Eastington Hall, Chorley’s were delighted to receive instructions to sell fine art and antiques from the estate of the late Sir John and Lady Smith, best known as co-founders of the Landmark Trust. Since its inception in 1965, the Trust has saved over 200 historic buildings from ruin or unsympathetic alteration.

Smith realised that the National Trust was only able to focus on preserving and protecting the larger and more important buildings. The 1960s fervour for demolition and new building risked these isolated historical buildings sticking out in the future British landscape “as a diamond ring in the spaghetti”. Though he once described himself as "primarily a buildings buff", Sir John’s business acumen was invaluable in the establishment of The Manifold Trust which for many years raised funds for the Landmark Trust to acquire and preserve some of the most quirky and beautiful smaller examples of British architecture for the enjoyment of future generations. After some years as an MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, and serving on the executive of the 1922 Committee, Sir John was appointed CBE in 1975, knighted in 1988 and became a Companion of Honour in 1994.

While her husband concerned himself with the bricks and mortar, Lady Smith’s keen eye was drawn to the furnishing of the interiors. Her attention to detail was second to none and she collaborated with artists and friends to design fabrics for specific properties and to choose books to adorn the shelves. The Landmark aesthetic has a timeless quality that is prized by visitors to the properties and which continues to this day.

Chorley’s auction includes a wide variety of items from the Smiths’ estate, ranging from paintings and furniture to carpets and silver. Of high quality and impeccable taste, the pieces are offered with very affordable estimates, including a pair of 19th Century Italian oil paintings of cherubs in rose carved frames, Lot 572 £200-300; a Regency mahogany washstand by Holland & Sons, Lot 702. £400-600; a George IV rosewood library table, Lot 724 £800-1200 and a Samarkhand rug of coral colour, Lot 892 £600-800.

Lot 702

Lot 724 Lot 892 Live online bidding online is available (for an additional charge) through:

Auction: Tuesday 23 July, 10am. Lots 1-599 Wednesday 24 July, 10am. Lots 600-945

View Days: Sunday 21 July, 10am-4pm Monday 22 July, 9am-4pm Sale mornings, 8.30am-10am The online catalogue for this auction will be fully illustrated on our website from Friday 12 July.

Printed catalogues can be purchased from our office.

Chorley’s is a member of The Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and The Association of Accredited Auctioneers

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AUCTION | Tuesday 23 & Wednesday 24 July Further highlights from the estate of Sir John and Lady Smith include a collection of family portrait miniatures dating from the 18th and 19th Centuries. Lot 477 is a portrait of Oswald Smith, 2nd son of George Smith of Selsdon, the great great grandfather of our curLot 477 rent Queen, estimate £400-600. Lot 457 is a signed mezzotint portrait, believed to be of John Smith MP (1767-1842), a banker and politician who was poisoned by his wife when she accidentally gave him an overdose of laudanum, estimate £150-200.

Lot 580

Another item of historical interest is a Victorian silver presentation trowel with ivory handle, Barnard & Sons, London 1870, inscribed 'Queens Jubilee 1887 Presented to Mrs Oswald A Smith on the Occasion of her Laying the Foundation Stone of the Memorial Institute East Grinstead April 7th 1888', in a fitted case and a butter knife inscribed 'East Surrey Agricultural Society 1851', estimate £120-180, Lot 49.

states of the restoration process, her dark hulk looming dramatically against an azure sky, estimate £500-700, Lot 576.

Through the Manifold Trust, Smith made available £8 million for the restoration of the warship Warrior, now moored next to Victory at Portsmouth: "If every warship in the 19th Century still existed and was available for preservation, Warrior would still be my first choice". The ship was donated by the Navy to the Maritime Trust in 1979. Warrior was towed 800 miles to Hartlepool where the world's largest maritime project ever undertaken then began. Painted in 1985, artist Stephen Crowther’s striking oil painting depicts Warrior in the final

Irish silver and a celebrity elephant are just some of the fascinating highlights from other properties in the July auction.

Lot 576

The Right Rev Beilby Porteous (1731-1808), Bishop of London, was the first Anglican in a position of authority to seriously challenge the Church’s position on slavery and campaign for an end to the trade. This contemporary portrait, after a similar work by George Romney (British 1734-1802) is estimated to realise £300-500, Lot 580.

An Irish provincial hook end silver ladle by Joseph Johns, Limerick circa 1760, boasts an elegant fluted scallop bowl, foliate engraved stem and crest, estimate £2000-3000, Lot 56. Johns is described in A Celebration of Limerick Silver (by John Bowen & Conor O'Brien) as Limerick's "most accomplished, prolific and arguably most successful silversmith". The hook end and large shell bowl are typical of Lot 56 Limerick ladles at this time, as shown in a similar example by Johns illustrated in the above book p.128, pl.121a. The crest appears to be that of the Barons Carbery (Evans-Freke), a title created in 1715, and the family were based in County Limerick.

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VIEW DAYS | Sunday 21 & Monday 22 July

Lot 550

Lot 544

A rare late 19th Century advertising banner depicting the legendary Jumbo the elephant will touch the heartstrings of young and old alike. It is believed that this flying banner portrays Jumbo, the ‘Most famous elephant on earth’ and the inspiration behind Disney’s Dumbo.

The majestic beast resided at London Zoo from 1865-1882 before being sold to American entertainer P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey’s Circus (who inspired the film The Greatest Showman) for £2,000 and transported to the USA amid public outrage. In 1882, 100,000 school children wrote to Queen Victoria begging her not to sell the elephant and John Ruskin, a fellow of the Zoological Society wrote in The Morning Post in February of that year; “I, for one of the said fellows, am not in the habit of selling my old pets or parting with my old servants because I find them subject occasionally, perhaps even periodically, to fits of ill temper and I not only regret the proceedings of the council, but disclaim them utterly, as disgraceful to the city of London and dishonourable to common humanity”.

Jumbo became the star attraction of Barnum & Bailey’s ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ and the circus earned $1.75M in their 31-week season. On 30th May 1884, Jumbo was one of Barnum’s 21 elephants to cross the Brooklyn Bridge to prove that it was safe after 12 people died during a stampede caused by mass panic over collapse fears a year earlier. Jumbo died after he was hit by a train in Ontario, Canada as he was led back to his boxcar after a performance in 1885.

bold silhouette make this a wonderful piece of British Folk Art, Lot 554, estimate £3,000-5,000.

A 17th Century painting of a young man playing a lute by candlelight is highly atmospheric and complemented by its highly decorative frame, which is believed to be original to the picture. This striking Baroque artwork carries an estimate of £5,000£7,000, Lot 550.

From several country house libraries, we have compiled a fascinating selection of antiquarian books including several volumes on anatomy and medicine, travel and exploration. Of great interest to many will be a volume of plates relating to the voyages of Captain Cook, including maps and charts of America and Asia, and engraved depictions of some of the places and events he encountered, estimate £1,000-2,000, Lot 939.

Please note, figures in this Newsletter are estimates only.

A buyer’s premium charge will be added to the hammer price of every lot, and other fees may apply.

The banner is oil on thick cloth canvas mounted floating in a contemporary frame with museum grade glass to preserve and enable viewing of the rear of the banner. The two-dimensional pose and

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Lot 939

FUTURE EVENTS & OTHER NEWS Simon Bruton 1947-2019 It is with regret and great sadness we have to inform of the death of Simon Bruton. He was the great great grandson (fifth generation) of Henry Bruton, the founder of Bruton Knowles and the last family member to join the firm and throughout his time in the firm he commanded great respect from both clients and colleagues.

Having started his auctioneering life at the Reading firm of Thimleleby and Shoreland, Simon joined the partnership at Bruton Knowles in April 1975. His early years in the firm were spent mostly at the cattle market, conducting sales of livestock, and assisting at farm sales. Just like his predecessors, he was a natural auctioneer and commanded great respect from both clients and his fellow partners.

In 1982 Cecil Bruton retired from the partnership and the mantle of the Fine Arts Department was passed to Simon. His first of the 232 sales he conducted was at the Tithe Barn and he quickly adapted his selling manner to that appropriate for the world of fine art and antiques rather than the cattle market. During his career, Simon was instrumental in organising some of the biggest sales that Bruton Knowles ever undertook, notably the Summerfield sale and the contents of Rous Lench Court. However, although he loved the business and the characters he encountered, Simon found the modern idioms and everincreasing demands of commerce intolerable, resulting in severe depression and his early retirement from the partnership in 1993.

Though no longer working, he followed the progress of the Fine Arts team with interest and encouragement. We were eternally grateful for the support Simon gave us after he left the Partnership and thrilled that, when Chorley’s was established, he frequently attended the saleroom, both as a client and our friend. Many antique dealers and rural clients will remember him with so much fondness, as do we all.

Simon Chorley.

Invitation to Consign SEPTEMBER Fine Silver, Jewellery & Asian Art will feature strongly in our September auction. This smart set of George III sugar vases

by Daniel Smith & Robert Sharp is estimated to fetch £4,000£6,000. If you have items you wish to consign, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Closing date for entries 9 August.

Contact Thomas Jenner-Fust:

thomas.jennerfust@chorleys.com

OCTOBER We now invite entries to our next Modern Art & Design sale.

This will cover 20th Century and Contemporary artwork and furniture, ranging from Arts & Crafts furniture through Scandinavian modernism to contemporary studio ceramics. Items already consigned include a group of mixed media works

by Steven Hubbard: “Goldfinch”, shown here, carries a presale estimate of £600-800.

Closing date for entries 6 September.

Contact Catrin Hampton:

Keep in touch with us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

catrin.hampton@chorleys.com

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