1. Banksy screenprint
A Banksy screenprint – which includes a personal dedication from the artist – carries a guide of £40,000-60,000 at McTear’s in Glasgow on December 14.
Agile, featuring a rodent sliding down a freight box, was issued via the Legacy of War Foundation website in 2022 as part of a fundraising campaign to support civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
This particular print was not part of the initial limited edition of 50; instead, it was produced specially as a gift to the vendor, complete with the personal dedication Thanks Chris followed by a peace symbol.
mctears.co.uk or this item can be seen at thesaleroom.com
2. Medieval hand-washing bowl
One of four Limoges gilt, copper and polychrome champleve enamel gemellions (medieval hand-washing bowls) estimated at £7000-10,000 each at The Cotswold Auction Company.
A group of medieval hand-washing bowls will go under the hammer in The Cotswold Auction Company’s annual Christmas sale on December 12.
The four Limoges gilt, copper and polychrome champleve enamel gemellions – which have come down by descent to the present owner – date to the first half of the 13th century.
Gemellions are shallow bowls that were used during the Middle Ages, both by priests at the church altar and by wealthy households in a domestic setting at meal times. They usually came in pairs, hence their Latin name ‘Gemellus’, which means ‘twin’. Often decorated with colourful enamels and gilding, gemellions are characterised by their jewel-like appearance and are adorned with Gothic figures, animals and heraldic devices.
Similar examples to those on sale can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Louvre and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Each of the four in the sale (one shown here) is estimated at £7000-£10,000.
cotswoldauction.co.uk or this item can be seen at thesaleroom.com
3. Scottish clan chief's archive
An archive of letters written to clan chief The Mackintosh of Mackintosh, the majority of which are personal autographed letters from the British royal family, estimate £1000-2000 at Tennants.
An archive of letters written to clan chief The Mackintosh of Mackintosh, the majority of which are personal autographed letters from the British royal family, are coming up for auction in the Books, Maps & Manuscripts Sale at Tennants of Leyburn on December 13.
Written in the first half of the 20th century, many of the letters discuss shooting at Moy Hall, the seat of the Chief of Clan Mackintosh, and were written by Prince George (later King George V), Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII), and Prince Albert (later King George VI). In addition, there are letters from Queen Mary, the Duchess of Albany, and the last letter written by The Mackintosh’s son, Angus, before he died in North America in 1918.
Alfred Donald Mackintosh of Mackintosh (1851-1938) was the 28th Chief of Clan Mackintosh and Chief of Clan Chatton. He and his wife divided their time between Moy Hall, near Inverness, and Cottrell House in Glamorgan, his wife’s family home.
A great friend of King George V, he devoted a great deal of his time to hunting, shooting, and fishing.
The estimate in this North Yorkshire auction is £1000-2000.
tennants.co.uk or this item can be seen at thesaleroom.com
4. Irish candlesticks
Set of four Irish Georgian candlesticks, 1755, estimate £3000-5000 at Peter Francis.
This set of four Irish Georgian candlesticks were consigned on a house call, appearing from what the vendors thought was a box of silver plate. They were unaware it was a set and yet more surprised to learn they were made in 1755.
At Peter Francis in Carmarthen on December 13 they are guided at £3000-5000.
5. Henry Moore work on paper
A Henry Moore (1898-1986) work purchased by its current owner in a charity shop 20 years ago was believed to be a print by the artist featuring four studies for the Mother & Child (a common theme of his).
However, when the owner took it to a routine valuation at Forum Auctions it was taken out of its frame and found to be an original c.1947-49 drawing/watercolour by Moore, complete with his signature - and another drawing on the reverse, a single version of the image. Both are in Moore’s trademark mixture of inks, watercolour and wax crayon.
Forum’s international head of Modern and Contemporary art, Alexander Hayter, worked closely with the Henry Moore Foundation, which holds the archive of Moore’s work and is the authority on authenticating his works. The research took two years and the drawing/watercolour will be included in the artist’s forthcoming catalogue raisonné (and is listed in the Henry Moore Foundation’s archives under 2022.15).
The estimate at the south London auction on December 14 is £20,000-30,000.
forumauctions.co.uk or this item can be seen at thesaleroom.com
