A floral painting blossomed to sell for more than 40 times its estimate at Hansons London.
A large (150cm x 150cm) 20th century oil on canvas flower study by Tim Maguire smashed its £80-£100 guide to achieve a hammer price of £4,200 in the firm’s November sale. The total paid by a UK bidder to acquire the artwork, with fees, was £5,854. (lot 391)
Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons London, said: “It was a particularly strong result in an impressive sale. We also witnessed good prices achieved for delftware. A high flyer was lot 87, a late 17th century William III (1650-1702) English delftware charger which reached £5,000.
“Other examples to sell well included an 18th century English delftware flower brick (lot 105) which made £1,800 and a mid-18th century London delftware punch bowl (lot 95) which was contested to £1,700. In addition, a pair of 18th century English delftware marriage plates achieved £2500. (lot 102)
“Despite a fragile economy worldwide the desire to buy objects for pleasure or investment continues unabated. The competition to secure Maguire’s floral art demonstrated that.”
Maguire (Australian, b. December 26, 1958) is renowned for his innovative approach to painting flowers. Though born in Chertsey, England, he moved to Australia in 1959. He studied painting at Sydney College of the Arts and at the City Art Institute before completing his post graduate studies in Germany.
His flair with flowers soon placed him in the international spotlight. He depicts individual flowers magnified to an extreme level, creating a cinematic flowerscape. This unique approach to what is regarded as traditional subject matter sets him apart from other artists who have painted similar subjects, such as Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) and Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926).
Gold and jewellery also attracted strong bidding. A 9ct gold engine-turned cigarette case made £2,500 (lot 258) and a precious yellow metal, diamond and ruby cluster ring achieved £2,000. (lot 167)
In the watches section an Omega De Ville 18ct gold gentleman’s automatic bracelet watch sold for £1,900 (lot 173) and an 18ct gold full hunter chronometer pocket watch made £1,400 (lot 181).
Antique clocks are also proving popular. A Wiliiam & Mary William Bird (London) longcase clock was contested to £1,900 (lot 332).
All items sold in the Hansons London November 26, 2022 Fine Art and Antiques Auction. Entries invited for monthly sales. To find out more, book a house, consignment or free valuation, contact: [email protected].
