We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art &
Antique sale which is scheduled for Saturday 15th June,
with entries closing four weeks prior. We already have a
number of good quality lots consigned into the Fine Art sale
including a large selection of silver, paintings, rugs, and
longcase clocks, and augmented by two stunning collections of
jewellery.
This auction will also include a portrait
miniature, dated 1648, of an unknown lady by Samuel Cooper
(1609-1672) which bears a striking resemblance to examples in Ham
House and The Royal Collection
Cooper is believed to have been born in London,
and was a nephew of John Hoskins, the miniature painter, by
whom he was educated. Known as the greatest English
miniaturist of the 17th century, Cooper enjoyed a prosperous career
and a European reputation (he is said to have travelled on the
Continent as a young man). He worked for both sides during
the Civil War and Commonwealth, and his sitters included Oliver
Cromwell and Charles II.
Examples of his work are to be found at the
Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Collection (including a
very similar miniature presumed to be Elizabeth Claypole),
Courtauld House, Windsor Castle, Belvoir Castle, Montague
House, Welbeck Abbey, Ham House (including a very similar
unnamed miniature) , the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and in
private collections.
The renowned Bury St Edmunds portraitist Mary Beale
referred to his death in the following words: "Sunday, May 5, 1672
Mr Samuel Cooper, the most famous limner of the world for a face,
dyed."
It is apparent that the market has become more discerning of
late, and therefore you are more likely to attract strong bidding
and realise higher returns for rarer and more superior lots.
Another discernible change has been the increased willingness of
internet bidders to bid for higher priced goods, in fact almost
£25,000 worth of items in our March sale sold to internet
bidders. According to a recent article in the Antiques Trade Gazette,
this is indicative of the trust which has been engendered by
auction houses in internet bidders, this is especially true for
early adopters of live bidding such as ourselves who have built a
solid reputation online.
You may have seen in the national
press and on the local news that we recently hosted an auction of
works by and belonging to the late society and theatre photographer
Angus McBean. This was a huge success and attracted buyers
from all over the United Kingdom and beyond, either in the flesh,
online or via the telephone. The sale included images
of The Beatles, Vivien Leigh, Spike Milligan, Marlene Dietrich,
Laurence Olivier and Audrey Hepburn, as well as surrealist scenes
and a visitors book containing over 1000 star autographs. As
a provincial auction house, we feel that it is important to
demonstrate that vendors lots receive the same publicity and
accessibility as at any London auctioneers, although with far
reduced fees.
As always, lots entered into our sales benefit from: Regional,
National & International marketing; fully illustrated glossy
& internet hosted catalogues; Live online bidding via
the-saleroom.com; and an extensive e-mail & postal catalogue
mailing list.
If you have any items suitable for inclusion into this, or
indeed any of our regular Antique, General & Collectables
sales, Twentieth Century Design sales, Collectors' Models sales or
Fine Wine & Spirit sales, then please do not hesitate to
contact us at the Auction Centre.