The remaining three pictures of the set in Chastleton House, run by the National Trust, are of Pope Gregory I, St Jerome and St Augustine Bishop of Hippo.
An engraving of St Ambrose. The composition of the portrait is similar to those of engravings by printmaker Pieter Cool (produced c.1565-80) and it is possible that this was the source material. Cool was influenced by the Flemish artist Maarten de Vos (1532-1603).
National Trust on trail of St Ambrose
The National Trust is hoping to find a missing picture that was on display at Chastleton House in Oxfordshire.
It was one of a group of four (the other three remain) that have been in the Jacobean manor house since it was built between 1607-12. Depicting Catholic saints, they are thought to have been commissioned around the time of the Gunpowder Plot and would originally have been used as historical teaching devices.
The missing painting is of St Ambrose who was Bishop of Milan. The National Trust has found a magazine article in 1919 detailing the four paintings but since then it is not clear what happened to it. Ruth Peters, senior collections and house officer at Chastleton, said: “We have an idea of what it would look like as the paintings are based on – but are not an exact copy of – a set of four Flemish engravings.
“The last members of the family to live at Chastleton before it came into the care of the National Trust have no memory of the fourth painting. It might have been sold or given away and so could be hanging on somebody’s wall, unrecognised.”
Pickup promoted by Sworders
James Pickup of Sworders.
Sworders has promoted James Pickup to its board of directors, bringing the total number to five. He joined the business in 2015, running the fortnightly Homes & Interiors sales for three years before moving up to take the reins of the Fine Interiors department. He has since overseen the transformation of these quarterly sales, developing them into a curated, interior design-led operation. Pickup will maintain his position as head of fine interiors.
Lalique mascot stolen from event
The missing Vitesse (The Goddess of Speed) Lalique car mascot.
A dealer whose René Lalique car mascot was stolen from a fair is offering a reward for its return. Unique Lalique Mascots in Brighton attended the classic car fair Ardingly Autojumble on February 27 and during the course of the day an opalescent glass car mascot modelled as Vitesse (The Goddess of Speed) was stolen from the stand. The mascot was being offered for sale at around £25,000. The dealer had previously paid £19,000 for it in 2019.
Unique Lalique Mascots is offering a reward for its safe return and urges anyone with information, or who has been offered it for sale, to contact the police by calling 101 and quoting Brighton police crime reference number 47220036203.
Hug welcomed at Woolley & Wallis
Sam Hug has joined Woolley & Wallis.
Sam Hug has joined the jewellery department at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury. He most recently worked with Koopman Rare Art and had previously spent five years at Sotheby’s. He will work with W&W’s associate director Marielle Whiting (who has recently returned from maternity leave) and consultant Jonathan Edwards (who will continue to work with clients despite reducing his hours).
Hug’s appointment takes the Woolley & Wallis jewellery department to five employees alongside Charlotte Glyde and Emily O’Donnell.
Macklowe second slice up for auction
Alberto Giacometti sculpture Diego sur stèle II, 1958, estimated at $7m-10m at Sotheby’s New York.
Sotheby’s New York is to offer the second tranche of The Macklowe Collection at an evening sale on May 16. The first tranche of the $600m 65-lot consignment was sold in a white-glove sale in November.
The collection comes from divorcees Harry and Linda Macklowe. Harry, 83, is a real estate developer. According to experts, the collection is the most valuable to be offered at auction since the estate of David and Peggy Rockefeller that raised $835m at Christie’s in 2018.
The final Macklowe auction of 30 works includes a Alberto Giacometti sculpture Diego sur stèle II, 1958, estimated at $7m-10m. Other highlights include a Mark Rothko picture from 1960, a monumental seascape by Gerhard Richter and one of Andy Warhol’s last self-portraits.
Most read
The most viewed stories for week February 24 to March 2 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 Plea for help to track down stolen props from The Crown TV series
2 Rare Renaissance roundel bought by New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art after a nearly 20-year wait
3 Some UK regional auction houses stop taking bids from buyers in Russia
4 Dealer and Antiques Roadshow veteran Ian Harris calls it a day at ‘84 and a half’
5 Guidance and online digital service launched for incoming Ivory Act
In Numbers
$35m
The amount invested by two tech venture capital firms, Forestay and Mundi Ventures, into art and antiques shipping business Convelio.
