Nature – as an art form, as inspiration to create art – is celebrated in its full diverse glory in our inaugural Art of Nature sale. Inspired by the natural world, we have curated an auction spanning books and prints, jewellery and silver, paintings and fossils. While nature is ‘red in tooth and claw’, it is also the lavender-purple of an amethyst geode, the rich hues of flowers in an Old Master still life, the shining gilt on a silver snail, and the iridescence of the tail feathers of a peacock.
Highlights include works by Thomas Gainsborough, Michel Ghatan, John Gould, Wencelsaus Hollar, Wilhelm Kuhnert, David Shepherd, Archibald Thorburn and Simon 'the stuffa' Wilson.
We have arranged the sale in three sections:
LAND (lots 1 – 166) begins with mountainous landscapes, sweeping down to shaded woods and trees, vines and the world of beautiful flowers and plants. We then dive underground, to the world of geodes, crystals, and fools gold. Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' then marks the switch to the animal kingdom, from elephants and lions, to cats, dogs and rats.
SEA (lots 167- 197) begins with stunning seascapes, fish, sea creatures, shells, and then under the sea bed for ammonite fossils
AIR (Lots 198 – 236), is headlined by John Gould’s Birds of Great Britain, in all 25 original parts, followed by the birds and the bees, peacocks, owls and the bones of a bat.
Check out our blog about Earth Day in the Stories section of our website.
Whether you're an art collector, a conservationist, or simply passionate about nature, this sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire meaningful, museum-quality pieces that reflect the beauty and fragility of our environment.
Lot 1A - BISSON FRÈRES (LOUIS-AUGUSTE BISSON, 1814–1876 AND AUGUSTE-ROSALIE BISSON, 1826–1900)
Estimated at £800 - £1,200
Lot 2 - ARTHUR PERIGAL THE YOUNGER R.S.A, (BRITISH, 1816-1884)
Sold for £202
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 21 - AMERICAN YOSEMITE SPECIMEN WOOD BOX, CIRCA 1880-1900
Sold for £328
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 27 - A VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER NATURALISTIC TOAST RACK, BIRMINGHAM 1849 BY YAPP AND WOODWARD
Estimated at £200 - £300
Lot 31 - A PAIR OF GEORGE IV STERLING SILVER DISHES, SHEFFIELD 1828 BY ROBERT GAINSFORD
Sold for £2,268
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 32 - A WILLIAM IV STERLING SILVER MINIATURE TAPER STICK, BIRMINGHAM 1830 BY JOSEPH WILMORE
Sold for £139
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 33 - A WILLIAM IV STERLING SILVER MINIATURE TAPER STICK, BIRMINGHAM 1830 BY JOSEPH WILMORE
Sold for £63
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 35 - ATTRIBUTED TO MARINO MONTELATICI (ITALIAN, 1894-1974)
Sold for £2,520
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 64 - TWO AMETHYST GEODE CLUSTERS AND TWO POLISHED AMETHYST GEODE SECTIONS
Estimated at £150 - £250
Lot 76 - PETER SEVOGA (INUIT 1940-2007), MOTHER AND CHILD STONE CARVING ALONG WITH ANOTHER
Estimated at £100 - £200
Lot 81 - A GROUP OF THREE NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS CARVED SLATE (ARGILLITE) TOTEMS
Sold for £605
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 85 - LONDON ZOO INTEREST - Chimpanzees at the London Zoo, c.1949- 1956
Sold for £101
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 90 - A GROUP OF FOUR EARLY 20th CENTURY NOVELTY BRASS VESTA CASES
Sold for £63
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 94 - TAXIDERMY, A BURCHELL'S ZEBRA (EQUUS QUAGGA BURCHELLII) HEAD BY SIMON 'THE STUFFA' WILSON
Sold for £1,386
Includes Buyer's Premium