News

Car Boot Sale Bargain Set To Bring Cash Windfall

CAR BOOT SALE BARGAIN SET
TO BRING CASH WINDFALL

And Ewbank auction has fine wines from
a local cellar to toast Christmas

A painting bought at a car boot sale is set to land a cash windfall for its owner after valuers at Surrey fine art auctioneers Ewbank identified it as a work by a famous Indian artist worth more than œ5,000. The oil painting will be sold in Ewbank's pre-Christmas auction on Thursday and Friday December 18-19.

"I was shocked it was worth so much," the car booter said. "I didn't have a clue. I liked the painting and I paid œ80 for it. When I saw it I thought it might be worth a little more than I paid, it was just one of those things. I didn't think this would ever happen to me."

The townscape with buildings and towers is by Sadanand K Bakre (1920-2007). He attended the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai in 1939 where he studied sculpture because he could not afford the materials for painting. He was a founder member of the Progressive Artists' Group in 1947 and was a pioneer of modern art in India. He travelled to England where he met his wife and turned to painting, becoming a member of the New Vision Group. He moved back to India in the 1960s where he lived and worked until his death.

A name more familiar to art lovers is Pablo Picasso and he is represented in the sale by two etchings titled respectively Viellard fantasmant: Courtisane avec des hommes en costumes (Old man fantasising: Courtesans with men in period costume) and Homme allong‚ avec deux femmes ‚voquant les rapports d'un vieux clown et d'une jeune fille, (Man lying down with two women evoking the relationship between an old clown and a young girl) published by Galerie L. Leiris in the 1960s. They are estimated at œ4,000-6,000 and œ3,500-5,000 respectively.

A more traditional painting is "An Interesting Story" a Victorian narrative showing a father reading to his family in a cottage interior. The oil on canvas, dated 1863, is by William Henry Midwood (fl. 1867-1871), an artist renowned for his accurate and sentimental views, and is estimated at œ6,000-10,000.

Painted less than 10 years later and of interest to military historians is a fine landscape by an unknown English School artist showing a military encampment at Pewsey Vale in Wiltshire. Research by the auctioneers has revealed that in 1872, the British Army was involved in a new style of military manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain imitating similar Prussian army activities.

The New York Times reported under the heading of "The Great Military Picnic". Two armies were assembled, one at Blandford representing an invading force, and another on August 31 at Pewsey. The two sides were to comprise 12 cavalry regiments, 14 artillery batteries and 24 infantry battalions and the manoeuvres were scheduled to continue for nine days. In addition to training men to react to modern weaponry, it was hoped that the exercises would improve relations between the army and the general population.

There was such prejudice against the army that it had been decided to attach permanent garrisons to fixed locations in order to seek to improve the situation by creating a local "esprit de corps". These plans were objected to on many grounds including the concern of mothers who, according to the New York Times report, wished to keep their daughters out of the way of officers and preserve their servants from the rank and file, indicating that military morality was considered lacking.

The Ewbank painting depicts part of the Pewsey Camp. A label on the reverse is inscribed "Pewsey Vale, Wilts, in the autumn of 1872" and the stretcher is signed indistinctly "Wm. F? It is estimated at œ2,000-3,000.

Representing the Irish School of artists is a vibrant oil titled "Potato Merchant, Place St Catherine, Brussels" by Hector Macdonnell (b. 1947) which is estimated at œ3,000-5,000; a colourful Mediterranean beach scene by Elizabeth Cope (b. 1952) estimated at œ2,000-3,000 and a mixed media portrait of a male figure, monogrammed and dated '84, by John Kingerlee (b 1936). Although born in Birmingham, Kingerlee has made his home in the Bara Peninsular in County Cork. He has exhibited in London and Dublin and an exhibition is currently touring the USA. The portrait is estimated at œ800-1,200.

Among continental paintings, an oil on board by Vicente Palmaroli Y Gonzalez (1834-1896) depicting a Spanish woman playing the guitar signed is estimated at œ15,000-25,000. A 19th century German porcelain plaque, meanwhile, is painted with a fisherman being seduced by a nymph. The plaque is contained in an elaborate reticulated frame by Zsolnay of Hungary and a label on the reverse reads `Fischer M Gray 1744', while the frame has impressed and printed marks reading `Fischer J Budapest'. It is estimated at œ4,000-6,000.

Another fascinating group of pictures will be of interest to golfers. The auctioneers have been instructed to sell a collection of original artwork for cartoons published in the 1990s by Golf World, the 350 drawings and sketches including caricatures of such stars as Greg Norman; Nick Faldo and his caddy Fanny Sunesson. Estimates start at œ30. (Separate release available).

A small selection of select jewellery would make ideal Christmas presents, the pick of which is an important diamond solitaire ring, the certified round brilliant cut diamond weighing 6.87carats is estimated at œ20,000-30,000.

For auction-goers with gardens big enough to accommodate them, the sale also includes two well heads (estimates œ3,000-5,000) and ornamental statuary formed from the carved stonework removed from the Palace of Westminster following a disastrous fire in 1834. It is known that prominent political figures of the day including Sir Robert Peel were given the unwanted statues and architectural fixtures, but how the pieces in Ewbank's sale reached a private home in Guildford is not known.

And for those with homes big enough, two grand pianos will be offered with estimates at a fraction of the cost of new instruments. More valuable of the two is an early 20th century Steinway example in rosewood case, which is estimated at œ3,500-5,000. The other, a smaller boudoir grand in an ebonised case, is only a few years old and was made by Steingraeber & Sohne. It is estimated at œ2,000-4,000.

The ceiling height of modern rooms will be a consideration for the buyer of an imposing late 17th or early 18th century walnut and herringbone banded longcase  with a brass arched dial inscribed George Etherington, London. The movement has a subsidiary strike/silent dial, repeat mechanism, seconds dial and date aperture and just three inches under 8 feet tall, the clock is estimated at œ2,000-3,000. Another, slightly shorter at 7ft 2in and estimated at œ 4,000-6,000, is in a walnut case clock inlaid with flowers and birds, the brass dial inscribed Rob Browne, Bottisdale, (Suffolk).

Grandest - and tallest - of all the longcase clocks, however, is an impressive late 19th century mahogany example which stands a full 8 ft 4 ins. It has a three-train eight day movement and mercury pendulum and plays the Whittington and Westminster chimes on eight tubular bells. The clock will be sold with a service receipt form the Horological Workshop, Guildford and instructions for its assembly. It is estimated at œ1,500-2,500.

In contrast, more accurate time-keeping is likely from a gentleman's 18K gold chronograph wristwatch with subsidiary dials for recording seconds, minutes and hours driven by a movement set with 18 jewels. The watch is estimated at œ1,000-1,500.

In furniture, a set of eight Regency mahogany and ebony strung bar and trellis-back dining chairs including two with arms is estimated at œ800-1,200 and a good George III mahogany bow-fronted chest of four drawers the top drawer fitted with various compartments and an adjustable mirror at œ600-1,000, while an elegant pair of Italian Rococo style gilt side tables, the elaborately carved pierced frieze supporting white marble tops is estimated at œ500-1,000. A good pair of early 19th century Irish mahogany and brass peat buckets is estimated at œ1,500-2,500 and two 10th century tortoiseshell workboxes are each estimated at œ600-800.

Among collectors' items is not one but two rare Dunhill "Aquarium" petrol-fuelled cigarette lighters, so called because the case of the lighter represents a fish tank with fish apparently swimming amongst aquatic foliage. Each is estimated at œ600-1,000, while an early 20th century terrestrial globe on brass and mahogany stand is estimated at œ700-1,000.

In glass, a rare globular vase by Rene Lalique is decorated with the "Formose" pattern of tropical fish (estimate œ500-700).

And just in time for Christmas, the sale features a quantity of fine wines from the cellar of a deceased estate, which should reward purchasers with excellent drinking at affordable prices. Several cases of 1970 Medoc are each estimated at œ200-300, while mixed lots of Champagne, and red and white wine of various vintages have estimates as low as œ50-100.

However, for the serious wine buffs, four bottles of 1961 Chateau Haut-Brion are estimated at œ1,000-2,000; six bottles of Chateau Margaux 1961 at œ1,000-1,500 and two bottles of Sauternes Chateau d'Yquem Lur Saluces, 1976 at œ500-800. But for Christmas Day, a single bottle of 1961 Chateau Latour Premier Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac is estimated at œ1,000-1,500.

Viewing is on Monday December 15, Tuesday December 16 (10am-4pm) and on Wednesday December 17 (10am-8pm). The fully illustrated catalogue will be posted on the website; www.ewbankauctions.co.uk where live online bidding via the Internet can be arranged. For further information, please contact the auctioneers on 01482 223101.