Robert Brough’s (1872-1905) art is often overshadowed by his untimely death from injuries received in a train collision outside Sheffield.
His great friend and protégé John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) rushed to be with his friend in his final days and following his death curated a memorial exhibition in celebration of the young artist’s talent.
This reduction bronze above is believed to be unique and was specially commissioned by Singer Sargent from the sculptor Derwent Wood (1871-1925) as a gift to Lady Maude Messel (1875-1960) in memory of the artist. Three full-size versions are known: two are in the collections at the National Gallery of Scotland and Aberdeen Art Gallery, while the third is believed to be in a North American private collection.
The bronze is estimated at £3000-5000 in a June 6 sale dedicated to Scottish paintings and sculpture at Edinburgh saleroom Lyon & Turnbull.
lyonandturnbull.com or see this item on thesaleroom.com
This case of boxing badger cubs, above, is one of only two known anthropomorphic taxidermy cases by the renowned Victorian taxidermist Peter Spicer, whose name appears on a pebble.
It will feature in a sale of Natural History and Taxidermy on June 14 at Tennants of Leyburn, North Yorkshire. The case was purchased by the vendor some 40 years ago for £21, and the case is now offered with an estimate of £3000-5000.
tennants.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
The noted German sculptor and animalier Anton Dominik Fernkorn (1813-78) was commissioned to make two ferocious-looking large-scale cockatrices for the medieval Trsat Castle in modern-day Croatia. The bronzes were commissioned by Count Laval Nugent (1777-1862), who purchased the castle in the 19th century, and became known as the so-called ‘Dragons of Trsat’.
This c.1860 baroque-style bronze door knocker by Fernkorn, virtually identical to the ones he made at Trsat, is estimated at £2500-4000 at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst in West Sussex on June 11.
summersplaceauctions.com or see this item on thesaleroom.com
Dedicated to pictures, David Duggleby’s Summer Art Sale on June 7 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, will major on marine paintings, portraits and works by the Staithes Group – the art colony based in the fishing village of Staithes.
A Robert Jobling (1841-1923) view shows fishermen inspecting their nets in front of the Cod and Lobster pub in Staithes. The signed 11 x 17in (28 x 44cm) oil on canvas is estimated at £3000-4000.
davidduggleby.com or see this item on thesaleroom.com
