A collection of arms belonging to the Fraser brothers, best remembered for The Fraser Album – an assemblage of paintings, now considered among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art – will be offered at Bonhams Islamic and Indian sale in London on October 22.
Most were acquired by Scotsmen William Fraser (1784-1835), an agent with the East India Company, and his brother James Baillie Fraser (1783-1856), an artist and travel writer during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-16).
Among the highlights is a silver-thread embroidered quiver from north India which was presented to William Fraser by a Sikh nobleman. Estimate £6000-8000.
A Henry Moore sketch of eight goats (with a further sketch of five goats on the reverse) carries an estimate of £3000-5000 at Cheffins’ Art & Design sale in Cambridge on October 10.
On the market for the first time, it is accompanied by a postcard and letter written by the artist to Gladys Atkinson Waring, a school friend from Castleford Grammar. The letter thanks Waring for her hospitality during a recent return to Yorkshire and adds: I’ve just come across this little sketch of goats, in a very old note-book of 1923. You said you’d like something.
Chiswick Auctions will offer a signed photograph of Marylin Monroe in what was supposed to be one of the main costumes for the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
William Travilla designed all of the costumes for the film and this example had jewels sewn onto a black fish-net body stocking up to the chest in nude fabric, embellished with a mass of diamonds.
However, when it became public knowledge that Marilyn had posed nude for a calendar in 1949, Travilla was told to redesign the outfits and cover the actress more. He then created the now famous pink dress worn in the sequence for the song Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.
The black and white photograph of Monroe in this original costume designed by Travilla is signed and inscribed To Tommy, love and kisses Marilyn Monroe and is estimated at £5000-7000 in Chiswick’s Autographs auction on October 16.
This oil on canvas is a direct copy of the well-known portrait of Sir Henry Irving by the French artist Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848-84) which was donated to the National Portrait Gallery in London by Sir Henry’s friend and stage partner Dame Ellen Terry back in 1909.
For years, however, nothing was known of this copy until it came to auction at Sotheby’s in 1951. The 17 x 18in (44 x 46.5cm) work has no signature linking it to a known artist nor any paperwork to confirm an attribution.
It is estimated at £5000-7000 in Dreweatts’ Modern & Contemporary Art auction in Newbury on October 16.
