From an edition of 50, this woodcut print by Harland Miller (b.1964) Narcissist Seeks Similar is among the lots in the Dreweatts and Forum December 13 British sale. It is estimated at £45,000-55,000.
The two firms came together in May after art consultancy and valuation firm Gurr Johns bought books and prints specialist Forum Auctions in an all-share deal earlier in the year. Gurr Johns bought Dreweatts and Bloomsbury in 2017.
Forum founder Stephan Ludwig joined the Gurr Johns board and oversees operations across the auction houses.
The joint Forum and Dreweatts’ British sale on December 13 will be held live at Forum’s saleroom in London and online via platforms thesaleroom.com and both Dreweatts and Forum’s websites with Dreweatts’ picture specialist Francesca Whitham on the rostrum.
Ludwig said: “We have evolved Forum’s Best of British sale into a combined offering comprising mid-20th century through to 21st century art in a collaboration between the prints and multiples department and Modern and Contemporary art departments, creating a combination of academically sound, but a fun, offering.
“We are the largest exclusively British auction house group in the UK, therefore British art should be a strong USP. This auction will certainly be an annual event and could potentially go semi-annual.”
Ludwig said there are three areas of the combined group where there has been overlap: books and manuscripts; wine and spirits and art.
Art reorganised
The art department has been reorganised into three rather than five sub departments across Forum and Dreweatts.
For books and manuscripts all sales will be merged under the Forum calendar. The Bloomsbury brand will be retained with a web presence but will no longer hold auctions under its own name.
The wine department will now come under Dreweatts and hold monthly sales and will use the previously Forumowned bid4wine listings site.
Ludwig said wine is a key area for growth for the company.
