The sale in Dorchester on October 9, dedicated to works from post-1880, generated particular demand for a painting of the island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland by John Maclauchlan Milne (1885-1957).
Pitched at £5000-10,000, it brought plenty of attention from both trade and private buyers and was knocked down to a collector at £22,000 – the highest price for a work by the artist sold at auction this year.
Milne was sometimes known as ‘the fifth Colourist’ because of the way he followed the styles, techniques and tonal qualities pioneered by Fergusson, Peploe, Cadell and Hunter. His works appear occasionally on the market, with his bright views of Paris and the Scottish coast tending to command the greatest sums.
The 16½ x 20½in (42 x 52cm) signed oil on panel had originally been acquired directly from the artist and then passed through the Portland Gallery in London, where it was acquired by the vendor.
Frequent visits
Another view of Iona selling to a private buyer was a small watercolour by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell (1883-1937).
'Iona', a watercolour by Francis Cadell – £8000 at Duke’s.
The 8 x 10½in (21 x 27cm) signed work on paper had also been through the Portland Gallery and was one of the numerous depictions he made on his frequent visits to the island from 1912 onwards.
Estimated at £5000-10,000, it was knocked down at £8000 – a sum in keeping with previous results for a work of this size.
