Welcome
If there was ever a Venn diagram made up of collectors and dog owners, I would hazard a guess the intersection would be rather crammed. If the categories were dog owners and antiques dealers the number might be even more. Maybe it’s the loneliness of hours spent on the road, or the fact no traditional interior is complete without a Labrador dozing by the Aga, but whatever the reason, we are an industry devoted to our pooches.
Such was the devotion of Diana Steel, one of the founders of the Antique Collectors’ Club, to her four-legged friends (of which she had dozens) she used the silhouette of a greyhound as the company logo – an image still seen on the spine of countless ACC books.
So when The Wallace Collection unveiled its pandemic-delayed exhibition Portraits of Dogs from Gainsborough to Hockney, we knew we needed a front row seat. Over the years dog portraits as a collecting category has also held its ground. Have a look on page 18.
As regular readers know, this magazine loves to champion artists overlooked by history. And with International Women’s Day on March 8 it only seemed right to shine a light on two female artists whose names deserve to be better known. For the feminists it is righting the patriarchal imbalance, but for others it just represents a solid investing opportunity. Between 2012 and 2018, Sotheby’s Mei Moses indices (which track the repeat-sale prices of 60,000 artworks) reported work by female artists rose in value by an average of 72.9 per cent, while art by their male counterparts rose by only 8.3 per cent. Discover more on page 34.
Talking of returns, did you know that a ticket for the first US Masters golf tournament in Augusta in 1934 (thought to be one of 10 in existence) sold last year for $600,000? One of the same tickets sold for $50,000 in 2007, the gap reflecting a price hike of 1,100 per cent, or a growth rate of 73.3 per cent per annum. This could be one of the reasons why many experts are predicting sports tickets as one of the really big areas of collecting in 2023. Turn to page 48 for more insider tips.
Elsewhere in the magazine ceramics are at the fore, with a preview of an exhibition of work by the Viennese-born pioneering potter Lucie Rie on page 44, plus, on page 28, a deep dive into the eccentric designs of the Martin Brothers whose work continues to fly out of salerooms around the world. Enjoy the issue.
FIRST WORD
IN THIS ISSUE
STEVEN SPARROW Behind the scenes with the new managing director at Wilson 55,
page 8
JANE OAKLEY is on the scent with the best dog portraits as a new exhibition is unveiled, page 18
GEORGE KINGHAM presents his collecting guide to the eccentric ceramic creations of the legendary Martin Brothers, page 28
Georgina Wroe, Editor
KEEP IN TOUCH Write to us at Antique Collecting, Sandy Lane, Old Martlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4SD, or email magazine@accartbooks.com. Visit the website at www.antique-collecting.co.uk and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AntiqueMag
Antique Collecting subscription £38 for 10 issues annually,
no refund is available.
ISSN: 0003-584X
We love!
this Charles X gilt bronze clock in the shape of a sunflower, which has an estimate of £2,000-£3,000 at
Bonhams Chequers attic sale on March 21.
MARIJKE VARRALL-JONES considers the pioneering work of the potter Lucie Rie, page 44
THE TEAM
Editor: Georgina Wroe, georgina.
wroe@accartbooks.com Online Editor: Richard Ginger, richard.ginger@accartbooks.com
Design: Philp Design, james@philpdesign.co.uk Advertising and subscriptions:
Charlotte Kettell 01394 389969, charlotte.kettell
@accartbooks.com
ANTIQUE COLLECTING 3
