ART SALES IN LONDON

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1930, Page 9

ART SALES IN LONDON

“INEXHAUSTIBLE” STOCK.’’ Within a few weeks of the closing of the London are season, said the Evening News, on October 20, the auctioneer’s hammer was already poised for another, and from the date mentioned to Christmas the cellars of Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Hurcomb’s would be drawn upon for a. continuous supply of art treasures. In recent years there has been a tendency to restrict the premier sales to tho fashionabe season, but with the coming of thq American buyer there is now no close time, tor be is ready at all periods to a'dd to the tons of pictures, silver and porcelain which are being sent every wsek across the Atlantic.

The stock at present seems inexhaustible. As soon as one master shows a depletion another comes on to the easel. A few years ago only Reynolds and Romney held sway; now there is a race to acquire Lawrence, Hoppuer, Wilson and Zoffany, masterpieces. , Thirty years ago no Lawrence had topped £2OOO, but “Pinkie'* with her price of £70,000 created a new valuation. Orders now come by cable and business men have tightened their purse strings. The writer says: “Within the next few weeks, in the absence of pictures the collectors will be able to bid for Kipling’s manuscript of ‘Recessional’ at Sothebys’ or the watch of Charles 1., at Hurcombs. That king’s expression of gratitude 4o his last years were the giving of trinkets, which have since enriched the national collections.

“The Worsley watch in the Victoria and Albert Museum was the acknowledgement of kindness by his champion while in Carisbrooke Castle. There is th© Herbert watch, the last gift made during the walk to Whitehall, and somewhere in England is the identical’ clock which, at Whitehall decreed the fatal moment.

"It has been frequently, suggested to Chancellors of the Exchequer that auction sales might produce revenue. There is, every year, an astonishing total and in London alone, leaving out the sale of landed property, it cannot be far short of £10,000,000. The commission paid by the sellers represents a fabulous amount. A £lOO,OOO picture sale, taking only three hours, brings in at least £5000.”