Paintings from aristocratic and private collections are set to go under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers this spring, alongside the highly anticipated sale of a previously unrecorded sketch by master landscape painter John Constable. Hailing from a private family collection in North Yorkshire, Dedham Vale looking towards Langham is expected to sell for £150,000-200,000 (all figures exclude buyer’s premium).
The Property of Sir Brooke Boothby, removed from Fonmon Castle, Glamorgan offers numerous family portraits dating back to the 17th century. Originally built by the St John family c. 1180, Fonmon Castle was sold to Colonel Philip Jones, Oliver Cromwell’s Comptroller of Household during the Civil War. Jones enlarged the castle, and later his descendant, Robert Jones III, converted it into a Georgian mansion with Rococo interiors, uniquely without changing the outer walls. The Jones family line having failed during the First World War, the Castle passed to Oliver Henry Jones’ great niece Clara, Lady Boothby, who brought with her many possessions of the ancient Boothby and Valpy families. The property has since passed by descent. Highlights from the collection include a Portrait of Oliver Jones by Gerard van Soest (1600-1681) (estimate: £1,500-2,500).
With provenance from the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire of Charlton Park, Wiltshire, comes an interesting selection of paintings including an English School 17th Century Portrait of two young girls on a chequer-board terrace (estimate: £3,000-5,000), and a Portrait of a black Scottish Terrier, seated by Maud Earl (1863-1943) (estimate: £1,500-2,000). Earl was an British-American artist known for her dog portraits, which offer an important record of historic dog breeds and are much coveted by canine enthusiasts.
The sale will also include paintings from a Private Collection from Victoria Lodge, Tweedsmuir, Biggar, such as Kelp Gathering by the Scottish landscape and genre artist Joseph Henderson (1832-1908), which will be offered with an estimate of £1,000-1,500.
Further notable paintings on offer from other vendors in the sale include Still life of assorted Summer flowers in a glazed vase before a window by Dorothea Sharp (estimate: £4,000-6,000). Sharp (1874-1955) fell under the influence of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters on a trip to Paris, and became known for her spontaneous, impressionistic style. “The Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice” by Antoinetta Brandeis (1849-1926) is offered with an estimate of £2,500-4,000 plus buyer’s premium, and a fine marine painting, “Westward & Britannia Racing off the Royal Yacht Squadron, Isle of Wight” by Richard Firth (b.1971) will be offered with an estimate of £6,000-9,000. Born in Hull, Firth was attracted to marine painting at a young age, and later went on to become skilled yachtsman, giving him great insight into his subject. His works are highly prized by marine collectors around the world.
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