New section for paintings proves a hit with buyers at Shropshire auction
Adding a paintings, collectibles and modern design section to a two-day sale of ceramics and collectables last week paid dividends for a leading Shropshire fine art auction house.
The new section, which showcased paintings and affordable artwork with estimates ranging from £100 to £1,000, proved a success with consistently strong prices across the board for Halls Fine Art in Shrewsbury.
“The paintings section achieved almost £32,000 in total with a high sell through rate which was very encouraging,” said Abigail Molenaar, Halls Fine Art’s paintings and prints specialist. “The sale result demonstrates that there is a solid market for good quality pictures by known artists that are in nice condition and don’t need a lot of money spent on cleaning or restoration.”
Top price was £950, achieved by an oil on canvas by Fred Henderson, who was active from 1852-’60, titled ‘Bay Racehorse with Jockey’ and an on board titled ‘The White Sands, Iona’ by William Mervyn Glass (1885-1965).
The success of the Henderson painting augurs well for Halls Fine Art’s fine paintings auction on March 6 which features a number of equestrian works. The latest consignment to that auction is a portrait of Shropshire born, 26 times British flat racing champion jockey Sir Gordon Richards mounted on racehorse Rose of England, valued at up to £500.
Other leading prices from last week’s auction were £850 for a watercolour, pen and ink by Scottish artist Muirhead Bone (1876-1953) titled ‘Seises Dancing at Altar, Seville Cathedral’, £750 each for a bronze figure of a girl dancer after Alfred Keller (1875-1945) and an oil on board by Henry Martin (1835-1908) titled ‘Newlyn Harbour and fishing boats’ and £700 for ‘On the Rhone’, an oil on canvas by Arthur Joseph Meadows (1843-1907).
“The Muirhead Bone painting of Seville Cathedral was my favourite piece, so I am delighted with the result,” added Abigail.
“It was a very detailed and atmospheric piece that quite rightly deserved the attention that it attracted.”
Abigail is now accepting entries for a timed modern and contemporary art auction in April, a fine art auction on June 12 and the next paintings, collectibles and modern design auction on June 26. She can be contacted on 01743 450700.
