Lalique, Shell Posters by famous artists and Mary Fedden

One of the thing I enjoy doing most is looking at Auction Catalogues online - particularly for art auctions - for two primary reasons:

• you can see artwork and made objects which are often never seen in art exhibitions at the major or minor galleries (i.e. they've disappeared into private collections and only reemerge when sold)
• the estimates in the catalogues provide a benchmark for relative values of art. 

If for no other reason, those pricing and selling art should pay attention to what's competing for the attention of buyers in terms of calibre of the artist producing it and the likely auction value.

I'm particularly addressing that comment to those emerging artists who think they need to price high to get taken seriously.  It's wise to remember that serious buyers will also review the opportunity to buy at secondary arts sales/auctions as well as visiting galleries to see new work. 

However those thinking of buying need to review the notes about the additions to the bill after an item has been bought - and note my short summary of the "additions" to the bill which arie after the hammer goes down.

Three auctions at the Mall Galleries this week

I was surprised to see this week that the Mall Galleries seems to be expanding its usual repertoire of exhibitions and events to include art auctions for third party auction houses.

This week (27 April 2021 to 29 April 2021) it's hosting exhibitions related to upcoming Auctions by Lyon & Turnbull as follows:

• Lalique (e-catalogue on Issuu) - by the French glass artist René Lalique (1860-1945) who was particularly noted for his art deco pieces - and what's on offer includes some amazingly beautiful pieces
• MODERN MADE | Design on the Move - which includes a lot of the old Posters from the Shell Heritage Art Collection - many of which were by famous/well-known artists of the 20th century such as Paul Nash, John Piper, Graham Sutherland, Edward Bawden etc.
• MODERN MADE | Modern Art & Post-War Design - which includes works by Mary Fedden, Dame Elizabeth Frink, lithographs by LS Lowry etc

It makes for an eclectic mix of styles and artworks.

The Mall Galleries is NOT advertising these as exhibitions which can be visited.

Instead the Mall Galleries website is being used as a gateway to the Lyon & Turnbull website 

• the invitation is to view the lots online
• The artworks can be viewed by appointment 

and the physical entity of the Galleries is being used to hold the auctions.

Which leaves me wondering what exactly can be viewed by appointment. 

• Are the artworks on display in galleries - as happens at leading auction houses?
• Or do you have to identify the pieces you want to see and these are extracted and made available for viewing?
• Or given a number of them which are fragile (there's a huge amount of glassware) and/or will not be firmly attached to the wall in frames, do they just not have enough staff to "police' visitors?

The reason I ask is because of the sheer quantity of items in the auctions - see the online display of lots and the various e-catalogues below. The total of 532 lots will be stretching the now reduced capacity of the Mall Galleries (i.e. the end room of the North Gallery is no longer available)

The auctions are as follows

• Lalique (106 lots - mainly glass) - Thursday, 29th Apr 2021 14:00 - see e-catalogue on Issuu
• MODERN MADE | Design on the Move (49 lots) - 29th Apr 2021 18:00
• MODERN MADE | Modern Art and Post War Design (382 lots) - Friday 30th April 10am 
• - see the combined MODERN MADE e-catalogue on Issuu

Famous names in the auctions include: Rene Lalique, Paul Nash, Edward Bawden, Dame Elizabeth Frink, 

Note that all prices EXCLUDE 

• the reduced rate of 5% VAT on the hammer price
• the 25% premium paid on purchase
• plus the VAT on the premium
• plus 4% of the value of an artwork exceeding over €1,000 - which is due to all artists who can receive the artist resale royalty ( living artists and those who have died in the last 70 years) on secondary sales via an art gallery or dealer

On an artwork estimated to fetch £2,000 this could add (I estimate) 50 + 500 + 25 + 80 = £2,655 (i.e. around a third more than the hammer price) prior to transport and insurance.