The Portcullis Auction Room Had a Stellar Sale on 20th June, Breaking All Previous Records

Thu 20 June 2019

As expected, the highest price on the day was for an abstract painting by the Taiwanese artist Richard Lin (Lin Show-Yu) 1933-2011                                                     

The picture was discovered in a storeroom during cataloguing of artwork from the estate of the late Islwyn Watkins. Our valuer immediately recognised it as the work of Lin and its importance. Richard Lin & Islwyn Watkins were teaching together at the Ravenscroft College of Art & Design in the early 1960s so it is likely that Islwyn acquired it directly from Lin. The painting had a canvas tear and had been crudely restored in the past, so carried a relatively conservative pre-sale estimate of £40,000 - £60,000. However these expectations were far exceeded when the work was finally knocked down to a German collector for £84,000 against intense competition from the telephones. This is the highest price ever achieved in these rooms.

Elsewhere at the sale, artworks by Islwyn Watkins continued to draw crowds, with paintings, lithographs, collages and wood assemblages selling from £120 to £500.

An unframed artists proof of Stokesay Castle by John Piper was knocked down at £800 against expectations of £400-£600. Silver and jewellery predictably sold very well across the board; a collection of Great War R,F,C. ephemera sold at £340; a collection of Freemasonry regalia at £340. Furniture sold to £300 and ceramics andglassware to £350.

Pictured above are two members of the Portcullis team, Daniel Fielder (expert valuer) and Lauren Hall (office manager).

The next sale at The Portcullis Auction Room will be on Thursday 18^th July at 1.00pm.

Entries are invited on the following dates:

Tuesday 25^th, Wednesday 26^th & Thursday 27^th June & Tuesday 2^nd, Wednesday 3^rd & Thursday 4^th July – From 9.00am – 4.30pm

For more information on this sale or forthcoming ones please contact Lauren on 01584 878822.

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