The linen and steel rod ‘sculpture’ guided at £4000-6000 in the 20th Century Design auction on January 26 was the third Sworders has offered in as many sales.
Two other similar lots were sold for strong prices in 2020: a weaving titled M.200. No.10 offered on behalf of a Suffolk client in May for £5800 and a larger hanging titled M.72 No.3 which made £8000 in October for a consignor in North Carolina.
The latest Collingwood piece titled M143.74 dates from c.1988. It was sold with a facsimile of a letter dated March 24, 1989, explaining it was a gift to the recipients “John & Madoka” from the Japanese weaver Jun Tomita (b.1951).
Collingwood apologies for a delay in sending it: “I am afraid I have taken rather a long time to get it woven as I have been travelling in India. There is a nylon loop at the top of the hanging – so it only needs one nail in the wall to hang it from.”
Courtesy of a postscript, the letter also sheds a little light on the numerical titles that Collingwood gave his works. He writes: “The metal label [impressed Paul Collingwood M143.74] shows it is design M143 & that it is the 74th time I have woven this design.”
The hammer price was £4600, in the middle of expectations.
