Kinghams opens west London base
Cotswold auction house Kinghams has opened a valuation and consignment office in Chelsea, London.
The move follows an increasing demand from clients in central London to sell their items in the Cotswolds and easily access Kinghams’ specialist valuers and consultants, the firm said.
The office is at Bourbon Hanby Arcade, 151 Sydney Street. The head office remains in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
Gandhi letter to ‘soulmate’ sells
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) epitomised the power of words and, on June 25, that is what bidders had the chance to own in the form of those penned by the political and spiritual leader himself in a letter to his friend and South African architect, Hermann Kallenbach (1871-1945).
They met in 1904 in South Africa, where Gandhi was working at the time. They formed a close friendship - Gandhi even referred to Kallenbach as his soulmate - and the latter designed a house for them both to live in.
Kallenbach became deeply influenced by Gandhi’s philosophy around ‘satyagraha’, in particular the notions of nonviolence, truth and equality, and, coming from a wealthy family, he abandoned his relatively lavish bachelor lifestyle for a simpler life.
He bought into Gandhi’s philosophy so much so that he acted as manager for Gandhi’s satyagraha movement in South Africa and left a considerable portion of his estate for South African Indians in his will. When Gandhi returned to India in 1915, the two continued correspondence with a series of letters.
Racecourse fair now postponed
P&V Rowson has announced the cancellation of the indoor antiques and collectors’ fair at Cheltenham Racecourse on Sunday, August 4.
Victoria Rowson said: “Unfortunately, due to refurbishment taking place in some of the exhibitor spaces at the fair and following discussions with the course, we have decided that it will not be practical to run the fair on August 4. Our next date at the racecourse is on Sunday, November 24, for which dealers are already booking pitches.”
Syd Barrett work bought and to buy
Syd Barrett artwork, estimate £6000-8000 at Thomson Roddick Callan.
The orange and blue floorboards featured on Syd Barrett’s 1970 LP The Madcap Laughs hammered down for £28,500 (plus 23.34% buyer’s premium) at Omega Auctions on July 2.
Roger Keith ‘Syd’ Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd, painted the 2.7 metre f loorboards himself for the photoshoot with Mike Rock and Storm Thorgerson and now, over four decades later, all 70 planks have been removed from the flat by its new owner who decided to part ways with them during renovations.
Meanwhile, the earliest known existing work of art by Barrett is going under the hammer at Thomson Roddick Callan of Carlisle on July 30.
The pastel and watercolour work was painted at home in Cambridge in 1963 while studying at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, where he met soon-to-be-bandmate, David Gilmour. The following year, he enrolled at Camberwell College of Arts in London to study painting and in 1965 Pink Floyd began to emerge from London’s underground music scene to become one of the most influential psychedelic rock bands of all time (Barrett left the band in 1968 amid personal issues).
This artwork is estimated at £6000-8000.
Princess Di items come to auction
Princess Diana’s 1986 Murray Arbeid midnight blue tulle diamante star gown, $780,000 (£616,200) at Julien’s.
Image: Julien’s Auctions
In what was the largest curated collection of Princess Diana’s personal items since 1997, dresses, hats, shoes and letters were all up for grabs at Julien’s in Beverly Hills on June 27.
Including some of her most photographed clothing and accessories, over 50 lots were offered in total.
Much anticipated was Diana’s 1986 Murray Arbeid midnight blue tulle diamante star gown worn at the premiere of the Phantom of the Opera and at a dinner at Claridge’s for King Constantine of Greece, which returned $780,000 (£616,200) plus 27% buyer’s premium, against a $200,000- 400,000 estimate.
Photo: Christie’s Images Ltd
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The most clicked-on stories for week June 27-July 3 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 Hanover Tompion sells for £3.5m at the Treasure House Fair
2 The Treasure House Fair returns with a lively opening
3 Daoguang bowls left in attic fetch £162,000 at auction
4 Harry Potter original artwork sells for $1.6m
5 Largest collection of Louis Vuitton trunks come to auction
In Numbers
20,000
The number of visitors to Christie’s preview exhibition for the charity auction of the wardrobe of Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022), put up for sale by Andreas Kronthaler, her husband and creative director of Vivienne Westwood. All 94 listed items were sold and most went for above expectations.
Live and online sales realised a combined premium inclusive total of £754,488. Highlights included a corseted, taffeta gown from AW98 worn by Westwood at the V&A sold for a premium-inclusive £32,760.
A corseted, taffeta gown from AW98 worn by Westwood at the V&A, sold for a premium-inclusive £32,760 at Christie's.
Photo: Christie’s Images Ltd
