Daniel Goddard - Blog - Portraits

Primary Source Historical Portraits

Daniel Goddard — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:05 GMT

It is rare to find true primary source historical material. Thankfully it does happen, Time Team find some most weeks! and here is a great example in our auction sale.

In these two early Victorian family portraits the artist, John Bridges has not only produced strong figure studies which become family records, but has included a wealth of historical information within the interiors, none more so than the inclusion of a small circular continental stool which is featured in two family portraits, one of 'Little Betsie' Spiers as a girl in fancy dress painted in 1845 and one of Mrs Richard James Spiers with her baby son painted in 1836.

The stool could have been acquired on a Grand Tour or perhaps bought from an importer. However it came to England it was surely an admired and treasured family possession and to complete the historical circle the very same stool will be sold together in the same sale as the two family portraits on 23 April 2009 in Exeter. The portraits are estimates at £600-800 each and the stool is expected to make £150-250

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Beryl Cook – "Does my bum look big in this?"

Daniel Goddard — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:49:47 GMT

This is the first original Beryl Cook painting we have sold and it will make an important addition to the strong group of paintings by major 20th Century British artists like Robert Lenkiewicz, Fred Yates and Dorothea Sharp, all of whom have a connection to the West Country and all of whom are represented in our forthcoming sale.

We have sold prints by Beryl Cook but, since Cook died, her work has not really ‘taken off’ and two major paintings, Rialto Bridge, Venice and The Vicars’s Tea Party, that were both offered in London, each just made their reserves at £20,000 and £25,000 respectively.

The painting offered here, Mop Heads, which is typically iconic, jolly and animated, has an estimate of £15,000-20,000 and will go under the hammer on Thursday 23 April. It is a great opportunity to buy a Beryl Cook original which, I think, would be a great addition to an ambitious private collection

Beryl Cook, original oil painting called 'Mop Heads'.
Estimate £15,000-20,000 for sale 23 April 2009.

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Portrait of Captain Randolph Charles Wilson by Henry Tidey

Daniel Goddard — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:55:30 GMT

Henry F. Tidey was a miniature and portrait painter who exhibited several dozen times at The Royal Academy from 1839-1869. This watercolour portrait of the handsome young army officer Captain Randolph Charles Wilson was painted in 1852. There is a record of a ‘Captain Randolph, Grenadier Guards’ being hung at The Royal Academy in 1853. Could this be one and the same? It is a nice example of how a portrait has a story to tell. The sale is this Wednesday 14th January 2009, and the estimate is £100-200.

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Lenkiewicz Painting for Sale

Daniel Goddard — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:48:07 GMT

Here is an opportunity to buy a small original Lenkiewicz oil painting. This 11.5 x 16cm portrait study by Lenkiewicz will be offered in our auction sale on 25th February 2009. This is an early portrait of a young man from the 1960s, when Lenkiewicz lived in London and the subject is likely to be a character from the Loft Café in Hampstead. It is a strong character study, confidently painted in bold colours. It has been very nicely framed and is ready to be hung. It will be interesting to see what it makes in the sale. The estimate is £200-£300.

This weblog is produced by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood.