Heritage Projects
A few projects – large & small
Wonderful German Expressionst work by Frans Marc on front cover of new catalogue
This important picture is the centrepiece of Leicester Museum & Art Gallery’s collection of over 500 works by German Expressionists. Art & Antiques Appraisals is engaged in writing a fully illustrated catalogue of this special collection for the museum. In addition to the catalogue we are writing several sections, arranging the copyright of the images, the printing and many other elements of the publication. It will be available in July 2024.
Art & Antiques Appraisals’ Joanna van der Lande addresses 25th Anniversary of Convention on Cultural Property in Rome
The 25th Anniversary of the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Cultural Property was celebrated with a Conference in Rome in 2020. Joanna van der Lande [wearing her Chair of Antiquities Dealer’s Association hat], was invited to address this significant conference under the title The Antiquities Trade – A Reflection on the past 25 Years. Joanna’s conference address was published in 2021 in Cultural Property News and more recently in 2023 in the UNIDROIT’s publication on the Convention on Stolen & Illegally Exported Cultural Objects.
In 2023 Joanna was appointed a member of the European Commission expert sub-group on Dialogue with the Art Market. In February 2024, she was appointed a member of the Working Group on Orphan Objects by the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT).
Audubon’s (£290,000) robin nests in Liverpool thanks to Acceptance in Lieu arrangement with HMRC, approved by Arts Council England’s panel
America’s greatest artist of ornithology - John James Audubon (1775-1851), who was quoted three times by Darwin in On the Origin of Species, came to England in 1826 to raise funds for the publication of his magnum opus The Birds of America [a copy of which sold at Sotheby’s in 2010 for £7.3million, then a world record for a printed book]. Arriving in Liverpool with a letter of introduction to Richard Rathbone, a wealthy shipping merchant, he stayed with the Rathbone family, from whom he gained further helpful introductions to patrons and subscribers, leading to the successful publication of his great book. Whilst staying with the Rathbones he formed an attachment to Richard Rathbone’s sister, to whom he dedicated this and another watercolour and inscribed them [verso] with romantic poems. The robin itself was a family favourite, often coming into the house, so this charming provenance was just one factor in the decision of Arts Council England’s expert panel, to approve the acceptance in lieu of taxes. The two watercolours had been on loan from the Rathbone family to the Victoria Art Gallery & Museum in Liverpool since 1986, where they will now remain on display in their dedicated Audubon gallery.
Art & Antiques Appraisals prepared a 2,000 word illustrated report and valuation [£410,000 for the two watercolours], supporting the application to Arts Council England’s AiL Expert Panel, enabling them to make an informed decision on behalf of HMRC. Along with the successful application to save the important Hogarth for the nation featured on the home page of this website, we have prepared several reports and valuations for Acceptance in Lieu purposes.
Images: Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Liverpool University
Bristol slave-trader Edward Colston statue toppled – expert witness reports Colston Four cleared
With tensions running high in Bristol, in the wake of the death of George Floyd and protests about the statue having started around a century ago, the world’s press was focussed on the trial. After toppling the statue, protesters had placed their knees on Colston’s neck, mimicking the death of Floyd.
Art & Antiques Appraisals were instructed to prepare ‘before and after’ illustrated expert witness reports and valuations for the statue itself and a separate one for the plinth (total approaching 5,000 words).
There were many factors to consider: The statue was created by John Cassidy in 1895, almost two centuries after Colston died [Cassidy’s sculptures have proved far from fashionable when they have come to the market: his rather smaller bronze sculpture of the Italian father-and-son slavers – John & Sebastian Cabot, who sailed from Bristol and are often credited with the discovery of America, made only £2,810 (hammer price equivalent) when offered at auction in America in 2018]. Colston himself was deeply unpopular too [despite that, had we been valuing the wonderful (now carefully guarded) Bristol sculptural memorial of him, created soon after his death, by perhaps the greatest sculptor of his time - John Michael Rysbrack (1694-1770), the valuation would still have been many hundreds-of-thousands of pounds].
Historian David Olusoga [Professor of public history at the University of Manchester, writer and BBC collaborator with Mary Beard] summed up many peoples thoughts when he said “This time last year it was a mediocre piece of late-Victorian public art, that said almost nothing truthful or of interest about Bristol, or Edward Colston… Now I think it’s the most important artefact you could select in Britain, if you wanted to tell the story of Britain’s tortuous relationship with its role in the Atlantic slave trade.”
When considering what it was worth after being toppled and painted with heart-felt graffiti, there were again many factors to consider: In recent years, interest in the subject of controversial art has come to the fore, with the exhibition over nine rooms at Tate Britain – Art Under Attack, which dealt with toppled statues and, among others, the Whitney Museum of American Art’s show An Incomplete History of Protest. Meanwhile, Banksy has made Bristol the European home of graffiti art, the market for which has been stratospheric and Afro-Latino American artist Jean- Michael Basquiat’s graffiti based work is in great demand, the highest price for a work by him at auction is £85,572,568. There are many examples of the market rewarding oppressed artwork, among them the work by the German Expressionists, which is hugely enhanced and only slightly more recently, the cold-war protest art by Colin Self which, on the rare occasions that original works come to the market, is valued much more highly than his Pop Art for which he is much better known.
Ultimately, we valued the statue itself at below £10,000, not that much more than its scrap value (the vacant plinth, with its original adornments, was considerably more). After the events of 7th June 2020, we valued it (unrestored) at in excess of £200,000.
We were anxious that publicity surrounding our valuations might encourage widespread defacing of sculptures, but happily, whilst there is far too much protest in this way, the perpetrators have not used an increase in value as a motivation, or for that matter a defence.
There is little doubt that this case, which was fascinating to be involved with, will be studied by law students for decades to come. The distinguished lead defence barrister Blinne Ni Ghralaigh, has moved on and is currently prosecuting Israel for genocide in the International Court of Justice.
There has been much comment in the press and on the internet, much of it ill-thought-out. One of the more considered reflections is this video: The Colston Four | Full Documentary
In the light of the result of the Colston Four trial, the Government has now published its guidance on how to deal with requests for removal of statues. This link is to the Museums Association’s summary of the mixed reaction to the guidance: Government finally publishes 'retain and explain' guidance - Museums Association.
Images: Historic England / Sky News / Art & Antiques Appraisals
Works by the first black woman to win the Turner Prize – Lubiana Himid – secured for Rugby Art Gallery
Lubiana Himid plays a leading role in Britain's Black Arts Movement, creating pieces which focus on racial politics and identity. She won the prestigious Turner Prize on 6th December 2017 for her works tackling issues such as colonial history, racism and the legacy of slavery. Rugby Art Gallery & Museum lost no time in starting the process of acquiring two works by her, the first black woman to win the Turner Prize, within a week they had approached Art & Antiques Appraisals to write a report and valuation to support their fundraising. Successful submissions to the Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund enabled the purchase of Man in a Paper Drawer and Man in a Pencil Drawer.
Image: Hollybush Gardens / Art Fund
Elephant dung work by the first black winner of the Turner Prize – Chris Ofili – goes on loan to Tate Britain
An eagle-eyed private client of Art & Antiques Appraisals bought a significant ‘elephant dung’ work from Ofili’s Seven Bitches series, from Christie’s, only three years after it was created - back in the nineties for £9,500 [hammer price]. Since that time Ofili has become the first black artist to win the Turner Prize (1998), was chosen to represent Britain at The 50th Venice Biennale (2003) [installation view, image above] and had a major retrospective at Tate Britain Chris Ofili (2010). Obviously I can’t discuss with readers what it might be worth now, but can say that over the decades things have changed and several of his ‘elephant dung’ works have made sums in the low millions. Art & Antiques Appraisals valued the work for Government Indemnity Insurance purposes, for the loan to Tate Britain. Here is a link to an informative short film made by Tate about Chris Ofili and their exhibition Chris Ofili – Exploding the Crystal. Ofili was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to art and he was included in the 2019 edition of the Powerlist, ranking the 100 most influential Black Britons.
Images: Art & Antiques Appraisals / Cameraphoto Arte, Venice | Conceived by Chris Ofili, designed with David Adjaye, Adjaye/Associates
Colin Self – Cold War protest art diorama – Three Waiting Women and a B52 Bomber flies to Germany
When Cold-War Protest and Pop artist Colin Self’s poignant diorama, created in 1963 (and enhanced in 2007), Three Waiting Women and a B52 Bomber was going from loan to the National Portrait Gallery, London, in January 2008 on to an exhibition in Germany and then back to the UK for his revealing retrospective COLIN SELF – ART IN THE NUCLEAR AGE, curated by Simon Martin and Marco Livingstone at Pallant House, Art & Antiques Appraisals valued the work for insurance.
Colin Self was one of very few artists in those nervous times in the early sixties who reflected his thoughts in this striking way, a detail of this work was chosen for the front cover of the exhibition catalogue. Art & Antiques Appraisals has been involved in many collaborations with Colin Self over the years, including conducting charity auctions of his work to raise funds for The East Anglia Art Fund (including a version of his notorious sculpture Leopardskin Bomber) and, with Stephen Fry, to raise Funds for the Norwich Playhouse. His work, including this one, also featured prominently at the exhibition we curated at Holt Festival Pop Goes Art in 2015, when, alongside the exhibition during ‘In Conversation with Colin Self’ he regaled an enthralled audience with the stories about the nervousness of the early sixties, contrasted with the sense of freedom whilst on his well-documented trips to California with David Hockney, Patrick Procktor and others. We also showed his important Cold-War Protest sculpture Leopardskin Bomber No I 1962/3 [Leopardskin Bomber No 2 1963 was bought by Tate, London in 1963] alongside the work of designer Gerald Holtom (1914-85), who, in 1958, designed the globally important Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament symbol [which is now referred to as the Peace Symbol worldwide], at the exhibition Inventing the Future in 2018.
Images: Art & Antiques Appraisals / Courtesy of Anna Scott & Colin Self
Octo, 1978/9 by Wendy Taylor at Milton Keynes [Grade II listed, 2016]
Part of an insurance appraisal of the entire public art collection at Milton Keynes.
Image: Wendy Taylor
Discovered in Suffolk, Edward Hase eventually finds his way home after 250 years
Art & Antiques Appraisals re-discovered this handsome portrait in Bungay, Suffolk, where artist Thomas Bardwell had his studio at the time the portrait was painted and later his treatise The Practice of Painting and Perspective Made Easy was published and printed. Edward Hase was fortunate enough to have the Estate of Melton Constable in Norfolk settled on him, to which, in 1761/3, he added Salle Park. Art & Antiques Appraisals have undertaken the preparation of inventories and valuations of the entire collection, as well as conducting tours for a number of Art Fund and other visiting groups. Art & Antiques Appraisals arranged the private treaty sale of the portrait to Salle Park, where it is on display today (Salle Park is a private home, not open to the public, but is occasionally visited by heritage groups, courtesy of Sir John White).
John Craxton goes home to Athens & Crete, then on to Istanbul and back to Pallant House in Chichester
In 2022 while Art & Antiques Appraisals curated Craxton’s highly successful UK centenary show Craxton-Picasso at Holt Festival, John Craxton - A Greek Soul was attracting huge crowds at The Benaki Museum in Athens too. It went on to The Municipal Gallery in Chania, perhaps the place Craxton enjoyed living most, and from there, in 2023, with additional artworks and acclaim, as John Craxton – Drawn to Light, to Istanbul. Finally, it made its way home, with another fresh injection of artworks (several from our Holt show) and more acclaim, to Pallant House in Chichester, as John Craxton – A Modern Odyssey. Art & Antiques Appraisals, among other things, undertook the inter-museum condition reports for the Greek & Turkish shows as well as a valuation of the Craxton Estate’s entire art holdings.
This nicely crafted essay about the recent Craxton shows appeared in the Times Literary Supplement.
Image: Meșher Gallery | Craxton’s motorbike, The Meșher Gallery, Istanbul
Alfred Sisley - near his home at Moret-sur-Loing, Degas’ Arabesque and a glorious depiction of Paddington station from Leicester’s 19th century collection
These are just a small part of a fine collection of 19th century paintings and sculpture, alongside the famous German Expressionist Art Collection at Leicester. Both are within a highly significant Western Art collection, with important works ranging from the fourteenth to the 21st centuries. Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken valuations for insurance for the entire collection [of approaching two million objects] for Leicester Museums & Art Galleries.
Images: Leicester Museums & Art Galleries / Art & Antiques Appraisals
Stella McCartney’s Lucky Spot goes on show at Belsay Castle
Horse lover and designer Stella McCartney’s Lucky Spot, made from over 8,000 Swarovski crystals.
Image: English Heritage
Louis Marcoussis’s wonderful modernist painting from 1928, part of the Adeane Bequest to the Tate in East Anglia Foundation (now EAAF)
This painting and works by other luminaries including Warhol, Rodin, Picabia, Sutherland, Nolde, Ernst, Laurencin, van Dongen and Ayrton were part of Lady Adene’s bequest, now the property of the East Anglia Art Fund. Art & Antiques Appraisals curated an exhibition of the works at Holt Festival in 2010 and has undertaken insurance valuations of the collection.
Midweek Practice at Stamford Bridge by Laurence Toynbee (c.1952) acquired by The National Football Museum, Manchester
When the National Football Museum wanted to buy this painting, Art & Antiques Appraisals went to see it in a West End gallery in London and prepared a condition report, market analysis and valuation to support their applications for the funds needed for the acquisition. The purchase was made with grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Art Fund and the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund. Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken an insurance valuation of the entire collection at The National Football Museum in Manchester and also valuations for many other sporting collections, such as The Players Foundation, The Fred Perry collection in Stockport and the Museum of London’s Harry Kane exhibition.
Images: FA Cup Trophy (cast from the maker’s mould as the original was stolen in 1895); England’s 1966 World Cup winning ball; Pele’s World Cup Medal.
Robert Adams Counter Balance no.2, part of the 2023 touring exhibition Rhythm Geometry from the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
Art & Antiques Appraisals supplied the Government Indemnity insurance valuations for the 66 items on loan from the Sainsbury Centre for this exhibition. From where Art & Antiques Appraisas have enjoyed several significant valuation instructions.
Images: Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts / Metalocus.es
Walter Sickert (1860-1942) St Marks Venice 1896/7. One of the earliest works at the important collection at the British Council
Art & Antiques Appraisals undertook a valuation and photography project of thousands of the paintings and prints the British Council has collected since 1938.
Image: Simon Difazio for Art & Antiques Appraisals / British Council
Discovered near Ampleforth in 2020, this small but nationally important group of Roman artefacts is now highly cherished at York Castle museum
This assemblage of copper alloy artefacts comprises a bust (thought likely to depict Marcus Aurelius), a horse and rider figurine, a plumb bob and forequarters of a horse (likely a key handle). Joanna van der Lande of Art & Antiques Appraisals prepared a 17 page illustrated valuation and report, with description, discussion and comparanda for each object, to support the acquisition for York Museums Trust.
Images: Jikta Erbenová / The Portable Antiquities Scheme
A 13th Century Limoges gilt bronze and champlevé Corpus Christi, ‘found in the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey at York in 1826’
This small statuette had been in the significant private collection of Hans Monheim (1891-1969) and thereafter by descent, in the German city of Aachen, until coming on the market in 2019. Found in the ruins of the once magnificent Benedictine St. Mary’s Abbey, we can only speculate how it might have arrived there - one can be sure that wealthy ecclesiastical pilgrims will have visited, before the abbey’s demise following the dissolution. Limoges enamels form the richest surviving corpus of medieval metalwork and were highly prized for their bright colours. When offered to the York Museums Trust, Art & Antiques Appraisals, wrote a 1,200 word illustrated report supporting the Trust’s application for funds to help acquire it.
Images: York Museums Trust
One of Britain’s most important Bronze Age finds: The Hove Amber Cup (c.1650-1450B.C.)
The Hove cup, discovered in 1856 during the construction of Palmeira Square in Hove, made from a single piece of amber, is one of only two found in Britain. This three-and-a-half-thousand year old artefact was valued for insurance, by Joanna van der Lande of Art & Antiques Appraisals for The Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust.
Images: Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
Art & Antiques Appraisals advised the BBC on valuations in The Treasure Hunters
Art & Antiques Appraisals was engaged by the BBC to advise on the valuations in their two part documentary programme The Treasure Hunters. Presenters Dallas & Ellie travelled all over the world, making short films about man-made-treasure, recovering treasure from shipwrecks, finding Tutankhamun, the Amber Room and more; as well as natural finds including amazing archaeological natural history objects, pearl diving, gold refining, diamond mining and much more. In the course of their interviews they the discussed values, Art & Antiques Appraisals’ task was to reign-in some of the superlatives and fact-check the valuations, as far as was reasonably possible.
Ellie Meets Sue – the largest, most complete and best preserved T-Rex ever found
Image: BBC Images
Fine Old Master paintings from the Chalmers Bequest and items from the Social History & Civic Regalia collections at Hackney, London
This fine quality late seventeenth century seascape by Ludolf Backhuysen I (1631-1708) is among the treasures from the Chalmers Bequest at Hackney. Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken a valuation of the Fine Art, Social History and Civic Regalia collections.
Images: Art & Antiques Appraisals / Hackney Borough Council
An early carronade at Dover Castle
This and other carronades at Dover Castle were valued for English Heritage, as well as cannon at Etal Castle and elsewhere.
Magnificent furniture and artworks at Lyme Park, Cheshire
Art & Antiques Appraisals were engaged to value hundreds of items on loan to the National Trust’s magnificent Lyme Park, to enable their acquisition.
13th century sculpture Christ in Majesty from Rievaulx Abbey
Art & Antiques Appraisals was engaged by English Heritage to value a significant group of treasures from Rievaulx Abbey, which was destroyed by Royal command in 1538. Many of the objects are now on display in the English Heritage Museum.
William & Mary sundial in Bedfordshire tells the time in Mexico, Constantinople, Vienna, Rome, Barbados and beyond…
This amazing 1682 horological ring by Henry Wynne at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire (where a replica is now in place), tells the time all over the known world in the late 17th Century. Valued with other items at Wrest Park, for English Heritage.
Images: English Heritage
Important decorations grace Lauriston Castle near Edinburgh
16th century Lauriston Castle boasts fabulous views over the Firth of Forth, but it is hard to take your eyes off the collection that adorns this charming castle and mansion. Displaying perhaps the best collection of Blue John ornaments ever assembled, highly decorative 18th century Dutch and Italian furniture, the most eye-catching of all is the spectacular pietra dura table top [illustrated] - dating from about 1590. Large decorative verdure Brussels tapestries by Henri Reydams (1650-1719) adorn the dining room and Old Master paintings the entrance hall. The last owner, Mrs Ried also owned the highest quality cabinet makers in Edinburgh, Morison & Co., so bespoke furnishings compliment the elegant look throughout. There are thousands of small collectors items, all left in Trust to the nation, so after she died in 1926, the Castle became a museum. Art & Antiques Appraisals made an illustrated inventory and undertook a market and insurance valuation of the entire collection.
Cheshire’s medieval manor Bramall Hall reveals seven centuries of history
March 2024: Arts Council England have stepped in to safeguard the collection, with £1.6 million for essential building repairs. Art & Antiques Appraisals have undertaken a valuation for insurance of the entire wide-rangiing collection.
Image: Joseph Nash | The Drawing Room, Bramall Hall, Cheshire
The Paston Treasure – the ultimate mid-17th century schatzkammer
This quite wonderful, large and luxurious painting by an unknown Dutch artist c.1665, depicting a few of the treasures at Oxnead Hall, near Aylsham, Norfolk, is a highlight of the collection at Norwich Castle Museum, where Art & Antiques Appraisals is undertaking a valuation of the entire collection of oil paintings.
Image: Norfolk Museums Service
Church of England sends 12th century Caen stone carvings back to Caen
St Michael fighting the Dragon
Carved around AD 1120 in Jurassic limestone (c.170 million years old) from Caen
The Church of England lent this and other Caen stone carvings to an exhibition in Caen in northern France, Art & Antiques Appraisals valued them for insurance.
Image: The Church of England
Lindisfarne Priory’s world-renowned Viking-Raider stone dating from AD793
Art & Antiques Appraisals was engaged to value this highly important carving, along with other treasures from Lindisfarne Priory.
Stone image: English Heritage.
Painting: Lindisfarne Abbey (1797) by Thomas Girtin
Horse Racing and Fair at Lodmoor, Dorset, c.1870
This historic painting is one of the treasures at Weymouth Museum, where Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken an entire collection valuation.
Image: Weymouth Museum
Packing the Hats by Amy Browning (1881–1978) at Manchester’s The Hat Works Museum
Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken an entire collection valuation at this specialist museum.
Image: Stockport Heritage Services
Glorious Pugin interior that inspired Agatha Christie
Abney Hall, near Manchester, owned by Agatha Christie’s nephew, inspired her descriptions of life upstairs and down in many of her novels. Her nephew James Watts appointed the designer-of-the-moment Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, to re-design the interior (Pugin was also responsible for much of the design of the Houses of Parliament including Big Ben. Sadly he didn’t live to see them built, but spent the final part of his life at Bedlam. He died aged 40 having married three times). Art & Antiques Appraisals have undertaken the valuations for insurance.
2nd century Roman mosaic in Ratae Corieltavorum will soon be brought to life
Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken a valuation of the entire collection of Roman artefacts at The Jewry Wall Museum, which is undergoing a major multi-million pound re-development.
A collection of 1830’s illustrated travel diaries to Egypt, with scores of paintings & drawings, valued for The British Museum
A large collection of drawings and archive material, valued by Art & Antiques Appraisals, for Government Indemnity Insurance for the British Museum. Additionally, Art & Antiques Appraisals has, on occasion, represented the British Museum when bidding at auction.
Bedlam’s evocative 17th century Portland stone sculptures by Caius Gabriel Cibber Melancholy Madness & Raving Madness
Cibber’s highly important sculptures, completed in 1676, for the original gates at Moorfields, now adorn the entrance to London’s Bethlem Museum of The Mind. Based on Michelangelo’s recumbent figures in the Medici chapel in Florence, they form a fitting entrance to this unique, world renowned collection and archive, which promotes the understanding of mental illness. Art & Antiques Appraisals regularly values the collection for insurance purposes.
The Burning of the Royal James at the Battle of Sole Bay, 28th May 1672, by Willem van der Velde the Younger (1633-1707)
This depiction of East Anglia’s most important sea battle, was loaned by the National Maritime Museum for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts’ exhibition Masterpieces – Art and East Anglia. In addition to writing the object entry for the award winning catalogue, Art & Antiques Appraisals has sourced loans for this and other exhibitions at the region’s most edgy museum.
Image: National Maritime Museum
Rare flagon by Norwich silversmith William Cobbald (1530–86) among the highly important collection at Norwich Castle Museum
Art & Antiques Appraisals are currently undertaking a valuation of the Museum’s collection of Norwich Silver.
Image: Norwich Castle Museum
Dora Gordine Javanese Dancer 1927/8 at the Dorich House Museum, London
This significant bronze by Dora Gordine was created when she lived in Paris in the late ‘20s, where it was photographed by Man Ray, who lived nearby. Dorich House was her studio–home with Richard Hare in London and, now a museum, it houses a large collection of her bronzes and plasters, as well as their interesting collection of Russian items. Art & Antiques Appraisals has conducted an insurance valuation of the entire collection.
Images: Dorich House Museum, London
Valuations for The Supreme Court of Great Britain
Detail of a clock, valued with other artefacts for The Supreme Court of Great Britain, Parliament Square, London. The Court is housed in the Middlesex Guildhall, the clock detailed above, formed part of the decorative sheme in place, before the 2005 re-modelling, which includes carpets designed by Pop artist Peter Blake.
One of thirty watercolours of apple varieties by Thomas Andrew Knight (c.1810) from the pomology collection and an invitation from David Garrick
The special collections at Hereford museum, contain many treasures, among them a delicious collection of historic illustrated pomology books and watercolours, demonstrating the influence of the Normans on this early centre of the English cider industry. A fascinating archive relating to David Garrick (1717-1779), who was born in Hereford and went on to be so influential in nearly all aspects of European theatre in the 18th century. Also the important holdings of the artist Brian Hatton (1887-1916), whose life was tragically cut short by the great war, including over 100 oil paintings by him, among them a significant bequest from the USA. Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken a valuation of the entire collection for Hereford Museums, as well as the library’s incunabula and the local archives.
Fort Elmo from the Upper Barracca, Valletta, by Giancinto Gianni at the Museum of the Order of St John, London
Fort Elmo, the subject of this painting, which is today the Maltese Museum of War, witnessed severe fighting during the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. It is one of a magnificent collection of historic Maltese paintings and artefacts and those reflecting the role of the Order of St John in more recent times. Art & Antiques Appraisals has conducted a valuation of all the paintings, the furnishings and highlights of the artefacts too.
Images: Museum of the Order of St John
Watercolours by Constable, Turner, Sandby and other giants from the Charles Lees Collection at Gallery Oldham
These watercolour drawings of Bellinzona, The Bridge over Ticino by J M W Turner, A Lugger & Hog Boat, Brighton by John Constable and Old House with Figuresby Paul Sandby are just a few examples from the Charles Lees Collection of 18th & 19th century paintings, given to what is now Gallery Oldham in 1888. Gallery Oldham, like many local authority museums, has an extensive and wide ranging collection, for which Art & Antiques Appraisals has undertaken the valuation across all disciplines.
Images: Gallery Oldham
Very rare 17th century Bellarmine ‘witches’ bottle, found with its original contents, valued for the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, Halle, Germany
Valued by Art & Antiques Appraisals, for the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, Halle in Germany, when they borrowed this intriguing object, which was found in Church Street, Greenwich.
Image: Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
The correspondence between Sigmund Freud, Abert Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Thomas Mann & illustrated letters from a young Lucian Freud at the Freud Museum, London
An Egyptian bronze statuette of Bastet the goddess of welfare and his extensive collection of antiquities, his world famous couch, the archive of his correspondence and that of Anna Freud, their libraries, the photographic archive and much more, at the Freud Museum in London. Art & Antiques Appraisals conducted an insurance valuation of the entire collection.
Images: Art & Antiques Appraisals / The Freud Museum