GAZETTE TWGAZE GAZETTE FEBRUARY 2017
Getting The Right Advice pages 2 & 3
ISSUE 55
Handy Hints Elizabeth Talbot uncovers some Handy Hints relating to February’s Specialisms:
Jewellery Have your jewellery checked periodically by a reputable jeweller to ensure you do not risk losing stones from worn settings or necklaces and bracelets from fractured links. It is best to store jewellery in a box to prevent scratching. Diamonds are particularly likely to scratch other items, whilst pearls scratch easily and it is advisable to store them separately. When going out, put your jewellery on last because perfumes and sprays leave a film on the surface of jewellery which may dull the sparkle. Likewise, keep jewellery away from unsuitable materials such as household cleaners which can damage the surface and clog up the back of rings, dulling the shine. Most jewellery can be kept clean with a regular soak in warm soapy water. Use a soft,
natural-bristle brush for cleaning open set jewellery, but never wash pearls, opals or turquoises which are very porous and susceptible to scratching. Never clean gold with abrasive powders, but use propriety dips. Foil-set stones with enclosed backs should not be dipped.
Garden Furniture and Statuary: Architectural Metals, stone and wood all react to the weather and cast or wrought iron garden benches will rust if they are not regularly painted. While some weathered patination can add or increase value, always ensure that larger objects are safe and not so weathered that they are in danger of falling apart. Severe frost in particular can have
detrimental effect on lead, terracotta and stone objects. Remember to consider the security of your garden treasures, because despite their weight, bulk and size, they may well attract the attention of potential thieves. Keep their display discreet and if possible, try to secure in some practical way which protects but does not cause damage. Meanwhile, care should always be taken when moving garden antiques. When carrying heavy, awkward objects, the weight must be evenly borne because certain pieces such as cast iron furniture and urns can prove very brittle.
Modern Design 18 March James Bassam
Getting The Right Advice
Our “special� sales, those themed by a specific area of interest, have evolved over many years, inspired by the passions and diversions of individual members of our team of valuers. The success of all the special sales is built upon the enthusiasm and knowledge of our specialists, several of whom (including James Bassam Modern Design and Robert Kinsella Architectural Salvage) are nationally acclaimed. Some weekly auctions are given a headlining, dedicated section which shines a regular spotlight on notable areas of the antiques market including musical instruments, sound & vision, photographica, silver, jewellery, vintage industrial furniture, lighting, wines & spirits, toys, and period oak. Other sales are stand-alone events, dedicated to distinctive specialisms such as vintage fashion, rural & domestic bygones, fine art, architectural salvage & statuary, automobilia, clocks & watches, militaria and modern design. Prospective vendors can access advice and guidance from identifiable, personable, dedicated experts who have many years’ experience in their chosen field/s. It is time to turn our attention to special sales in March - make sure you get the right advice. Automobilia 23 March Andre Ling
Wines & Spirits 10 March Lisa West
Lighting 3 March Lawrence Baynes
C.R.W. Nevinson (1889-1946) One hundred years ago this April, a young but established artist applied to the DoI (Department of Information) to be an official war artist. Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson had previous experience, enough for his application to be successful.As an ambulance driver for the Belgian Red Cross in France during 1914-15 he saw the full bloody horrors of war first hand. Although haunting him for the rest of his life he drew from these experiences becoming one of the most well known of the war artists joining the likes of Paul Nash,Wyndham Lewis, Henry Moore & Stanley Spencer. His life is an interesting one. From his birth in 1889 to a suffragette mother and a pacifist
but respected war correspondent father he was perhaps always going to be a modernist. Conflicting with views of the time this carried on with his studies at The Slade School of art with the great Henry Tonks who’s stern opinion of Nevinson’s work wasn’t favourably received.After he left The Slade in 1912 he travelled to Paris and revelled in the art scene taking advantage of the social circle, meeting Picasso, sharing a studio with Modigliani and befriending the Italian Futurists Severini and Marinetti, producing in English a paper with the latter voicing the virtues of Futurism. Back in England in 1913/14 he became a friend of Wyndham Lewis and the Vorticist movement but, like many of the relationships throughout Nevinson’s
The Gallery Sale Saturday 1 1 Feb, 10am
Contact James Bassam
j.bassam@twgaze.co.uk life they became a victim of his persecution complex, continually believing in conspiracies against him. During the war his time with the ambulance service was short lived. He suffered ill health with rheumatism but joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1915, however the following January he was discharged.And so he turned to his experiences, his paintings becoming some of the most used images of the official war artists.‘The Doctor’,‘A Taube’ and ‘Paths of Glory’ capturing the horrors of war for soldier and civilian. During this time he exhibited with the newly formed ‘London Group’ as well as holding one man shows. This continued after the war years including well received exhibitions in New York of his paintings and prints. But by 1920 back home he was becoming, as one critic described,“The most discussed, most successful, most promising, most admired and most hated of British artists”. It is this period of Nevinson’s career that interests us as included in The Gallery sale on Saturday 11 February is one of his rare prints.
His work during this time often changed, producing landscapes and cityscapes including New York and Paris but refusing to join any particular artistic movement. It is one of his Paris scenes that we offer with an estimate of £1000-1500, ‘Quartier Latin’ dates from around 1922-7 from an original painting of c1920. This print is considered one of the finest of Nevinson’s street scene prints, pencil signed from an edition of just 40 it will no doubt be keenly fought over. He continued throughout the 1930’s to paint in a more natural style and at the outbreak of WWII was disappointed at the rejection of the War Artists Advisory Committee. His commission from the Royal Air Force however in 1942 titled ‘Battlefields of Britain’ was presented to Winston Churchill and still hangs in No.10 Downing Street. Nevinson died in 1946 aged just 57 and although he alienated many of his contemporaries he is there amongst the greatest of war time artists, showing the effects of war through paint rather than words.
Militaria: May 2017 A call to arms… From the moment the hammer went down on the last lot in September’s Militaria sale, I had the next one in my sights. In the following weeks I began to look ahead to 2017, keen to build upon its strengths and encourage another sale of variety. Within a matter of weeks, I took delivery of a large collection of Imperial and Third Reich era German militaria, focusing on edged weapons. Spanning most collectors’ interests from Police to SS and Luftwaffe to Kriegsmarine, the collection was amassed over decades by a keen enthusiast. Daggers including A 1936 type SS Officer’s dagger with engraved blade, double chain hanger and portepeé knot A 1936 type SS Officer’s sword with chromed hilt, SS runic emblem, steel scabbard and portepeé knot The Gardes du Corps helmet, as worn by the personal bodyguard of the King of Prussia and later the German Emperor. A fantastic example with its crowned eagle set to the planchet and lobster tail rear visor
With more reproductions and forgeries on the market than originals, The German Militaria market is a minefield (pardon the pun). So it is a pleasure to handle such an genuine collection. If you would like to arrange an appointment to submit further items for the sale on Saturday 20 May, please contact me on 01379 650306 or e.taxil-webber@twgaze.co.uk
Quarterly Special Antiques Sale Friday 24 February A fountain pen is the refined solution to the nib pen with an ink reservoir attached. Early reservoir pens were recorded in development over one thousand years ago, as an improvement was sought to the mess of constant dipping of quill in ink. During the Renaissance reservoir pens are often recorded as being used. For example surviving Leonardo Da Vinci journals display writing with a constant contrast as opposed to the fading caused by ink when expended from a quill. Refinement during the 17th and 18th Century was slow as there was limited understanding of the gravitational and capillary processes involved, until in 1827 the French government issued a global first patent. Developments regularly followed as improvements were sought, but it
would take three distinct amendments to really establish the fountain pen as the handwriters tool of choice. Those inventions being the iridium-tipped gold nib, hard rubber, and free-flowing ink.
Mont Blanc and Versace are more recent manufactures who are extending the idea that the fountain pen is a modern day luxury. Built to look as good on the desk as they work in the hand.
The first of our quarterly special antiques sales is set to include pens by three names synonymous with fountain pens Pelikan, Mont Blanc & Versace. These names show how the appeal of the pen has changed over time. Pelikan, a German company, has a history of fountain pen development with several patents in its name all about improving how the pen works and delivers ink to the page. Whilst,
So they may have been written off as out of date but we can testify that good quality pens always draw the bidders eye and these three are set to be no different when they go for auction on 24 February. Contact Lisa West for more details.
Signs of Spring The vibrant spring season is virtually here and, much as in nature, things of interest abound with every day bringing something new. Firstly we have the Spring Season Quarterly Antiques Special Sale, 24 February – featuring a collection of hand blown glasses, a Royal Doulton Nelson tankard, silver and ceramics, artwork and furniture.This will be followed in Saleroom 2 by an addition to the calander; Antiques with a Private Collection of Vintage Firearms, 3 March. Based on a distinguished private collection and illustrated above, this sale will appeal to our firearms enthusiasts, as will the Sporting Guns sale in Saleroom 3 on 17 March. On the 10 March there is Wines & Spirits, including ports & whiskies, the same day as Modern & Collectable toys, when robots (illustrated) and model cars invade Saleroom 3. It’s then from toy cars to real cars as Automobilia races into the Blyth Barn, 23 March. All this plus Modern Design, Lighting and Beswick before Easter! And then the first weekend after the holidays we have our Saturday Select sale to look towards, illustrated here by this fine 19th Century Automaton doll. Spring - it’s bold, it’s colourful it’s HERE. The Diss Auction Rooms GAZETTE Issue 55 february’17
TW Gaze Diss Auction Rooms, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4LN www.twgaze.co.uk