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Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

THE MUSIC HALL COMES TO BELLMANS

A COLLECTION OF ITEMS relating to important Irish artist Sir William Orpen (1878-1931), discovered in a house in Brighton, will be offered for sale at Bellmans, Wisborough Green, West Sussex as part of their monthly three-day sale that takes place between Wednesday, September 9 and Friday, September 11, 2009. A descendant of Orpen’s companion, Kathleen Fairbanks, is selling the items.

Orpen‘A Study of a lady in a hat’ by Orpen (1878-1931) signed and dated 1900 is estimated at £2,000-3,000. After the end of his relationship with his mistress Yvonne (Eve) Aubicq, Orpen met Kathleen Fairbanks (b.1903), who became his companion, and modelled for him for a portrait sketch in 1930. Kathleen was cousin by marriage of the present vendor.

The sale will also include a couple of works by Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942). Sickert lived in Dieppe at the end of the 19th century and was a friend of Mrs Mary ‘Guinea’ Price, the aunt by marriage of the present vendor.

A watercolour by Sickert titled ‘Little Dot Hetherington at the Bedford Music Hall’ is expected to fetch £800-1,200. The Old Bedford, 123-133 High Street, Camden Town was built in 1861 on the site of the tea gardens of a pub called the Bedford Arms. The Bedford was a favourite haunt of the artists known as the Camden Town Group headed by Sickert, who featured interior scenes of music halls in many of his paintings. The Old Bedford was demolished in 1969. A fan painted by Sickert with the same subject matter was bought in the Greenwich Fan Museum in 2004 for £100,000.

Also by Sickert is another watercolour, titled ‘The Circus Orchestra’, signed, inscribed and dated 1920, which is estimated at £2,000-3,000.

Other items relating to Sir William Orpen are being offered by the relatives of Ms Fairbanks. These include a group of assorted wash drawings and photographs of the artist, including two facsimiles of a greetings card design for 1930; a pen, ink and wash drawing of a soldier; plus a drawing ‘Charlie’s Bar 1928’ (Estimate: £1,000-1,500).

Orpen wrote several books and included in the sale are examples that have been annotated with messages and sketches. ‘An Onlooker in France 1917-1919′ comprises a pen and ink drawing of Orpen sketching on the front endpaper, inscribed ’16th September 1928, On the Somme 1917, love Orps’ which is estimated at £200-400, while another copy of the same book – with a pencil drawing of a child on a wave on the front endpaper, inscribed ‘May you always be on top of the wave, To Kathleen 1928’ carries an estimate of £200-300. ‘Stories of Old Ireland and myself’ dating from 1924, with a pencil self portrait on the front endpaper, inscribed ‘To Kathleen, in memory of my young days in Ireland, Poor old Orps – He’s done in’ is estimated at £200-300 and ‘Contemporary British Artists: Sir William Orpen’ inscribed with artist’s monogram and also dated 1928 on the frontpaper is expected to sell for £50-80.

The sale will also include ceramics & glass; furniture; silver; medals; jewellery; watches; toys and works of art.

THE NEXT SALE WILL BE ON OCTOBER 7, 8 & 9

For further information, please call 01403 700858, or visit www.bellmans.co.uk

For Press Information or images only,
Please contact Rachel Aked
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07790 732448

Image: ‘A Study of a lady in a hat’ by Orpen (1878-1931) signed and dated 1900 estimated at £2,000-3,000