News in brief including a rare stumpwork selling for a six-figure sum

A 17th century stumpwork depicting King Charles II and members of his court, sold by Mark Pargeter of Alexander George Antiques.

11 Dec 2023

Enjoy unlimited access: just £1 for 12 weeks

Subscribe now

Stumpwork sold on to a collector

A piece of 17th century stumpwork depicting King Charles II and members of his court has been sold to a collector.

As well as the king, the panel includes figures identified as Prince Rupert of the Rhine and Sophia of Hanover, mother of the future George I.

The panel, dated 1669, was offered at the Robert Kime sale at Dreweatts in October, where it was hammered down for £24,000 to Mark Pargeter of Alexander George Antiques (ATG No 2619). Af ter researching the piece he determined the work was of “out s tanding cul tural significance and historical importance”. He offered the piece for a six-figure sum and sold it on to a collector from South Yorkshire.

Significant to the piece is the presence of a black attendant to the queen, Catherine of Braganza. Pargeter suggested a possible attribution to Princess Louise Hollandine (1622-1709), who he believes could also have been the artist who painted a picture of two ladies, one white and one black, which recently sold to Compton Verney museum.

Guide gives advice on art donations

Examples of artworks donated via various schemes include a group of 10 (from an original set of 12) of hand-coloured prints by Angelo Campanella (1748-1811). The works depict fresco wall paintings of the Villa Negroni Beneficiary museum. The group was bequeathed by Antony Page and acquired for Pitzhanger Manor, London in 2022.

A new publication by Art Fund and Arts Council England seeks to raise awareness about how owners of art and antiques can donate to institutions.

“Everybody is a winner”: A guide to giving (and selling) art and cultural artefacts to UK museums and galleries sets out the various schemes available to owners that might be interested in making tax savings and/or looking for support with finding the right museum home for an object or collection.

The report highlights opt ions including the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, Cultural Gifts scheme, Conditional Exemption, private treaty sales and gifting or bequeathing through Art Fund. For the first time Art Fund has also published detailed case studies of examples where individuals have donated through the schemes.

LAPADA changes London fair dates

LAPADA is moving the dates of its Berkeley Square fair. Next year it will run from October 22-27, nearly a month later than this year when it was staged from September 28-October 1.

The move is a bid to clear some space in what was a chock-full early autumn calendar of fairs this year. The previous edit ion ran concurrently with the British Art Fair in London and the Northern Antiques Fair in Leyburn. The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair, which shared more than 10 dealers with the LAPADA fair, opened just two days after the Mayfair event closed.

It is a notable change for the fair, which has previously kicked off the autumn season. The change also means that PAD London, with which LAPADA shares its marquee, will run first, taking place from October 8-13 during Frieze Week.

LAPADA has announced the return of its lead sponsors, Investec Wealth & Investment and The Royal Mint, and exhibitor bookings for the fair are now open.

Shaw joins the Olympia team

Nicholas Shaw of Olympia Auctions.

Olympia Auctions has expanded its Indian and Islamic Works of Art department with Nicholas Shaw joining as a consultant.

He has worked in the art market for more than 30 years and was Sotheby’s head of the Islamic and Indian Art department.

At Olympia he will be working with Indian and Islamic art specialist Arthur Millner (who also previously worked at Sotheby’s) with a particular focus on manuscripts and miniatures as well overseeing Modern and Contemporary Indian art.