FAMOUS PORTRAIT

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1932, Page 5

FAMOUS PORTRAIT

LAWRENCE’S “RED BOY.” WITHDRAWN AT £95,000. Lawrence’s famous portrait of “Master Lambton,” now popularly known as “Th# Red Boy,” was put up for sale at Lambton Castle, Durham, recently, but wai withdrawn at £95,000. Every precaution was taken to ensure the safety of the many treasures offered for sale. Police were posted in eacn room and in the passages leading to the banqueting hall, where the auctioneer’s rostrum was set up. In the hall itself were 24 policemen, while plain-clothes men mingled with the large crowd. Only connoisseurs, art dealers and representatives of museums and art galleries who had received catalogues, and who came from all parts of the world, were admitted. An hour before the sale started the hall was well filled, and every minute brought more prospective buyers. About 500 people gathered in the Grand Hall, and as the time for the sale to open approached a tall, distinguishedlooking man walked on to the balcony which commands a dominating view of the floor. He was the Earl of Durham. A sudden silence fell upon the room when the auctioneer announced: “We now come to Lot 53.” This was the prosaic language used to describe “The Red Boy,” one of the most famous paintings in the world. For some time there was no bid. “Will someone offer me £50,000?" asked the auctioneer. There was still no bid.

“Anything you like to begin with,” the auctioneer said persuasively. A bid for £lO,OOO followed, and the price quickly reached £78,000, and then, after a pause, went by stages to £95,000, when it was announced that the picture would be withdrawn, its reserve price not having been reached. The bid of £95,000, which was made by an Englishman, was the highest ever, made in England for a work Of art. “Unless an offer amounting? to the reserve figure is forthcoming the picture will not be sold,” said the Eari of Durham, after the sale. He said he could not disclose the reserve price. When told that thousands of people throughout the country were; fervently hoping that the picture would not go to America, he replied: “I, too, hope that it will remain in this country. But who is there here in England who could buy it? Who is there in this country who could offer the reserve figure?” Asked whether any negotiations were now in progress the Earl said: . “I do not know. Reference will certainly be made to me before any final negotiations are made, but up to the present I know no more than happened at the sale.”