It has been two exciting, auction-packed months since I began my new role at Dreweatts which has given me time to witness each of our talented departments conduct their sales within the busy schedule of auctions we hold at Donnington Priory. It has been lovely to see many old friends and for those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, I greatly look forward to welcoming you to our galleries at Donnington Priory or Pall Mall.

My career has been in the auction world for over thirty years. I began in earnest as a junior cataloguer at Christie’s South Kensington, cataloguing the then weekly furniture sales - the best training ground one could possibly hope for. In late 1999, I was fortunate enough to be transferred to the New York office at Christie’s and the next six years introduced me to the vibrant US market, many of the greatest collectors of our time, and some astonishing objects and sales.

A return to London and Sotheby’s followed, and for a specialist whose passion lies in English furniture, the opportunity to work with some of the collections in England’s greatest country houses was a pure joy. The Chatsworth Attic sale, works from the collection of the Duke of Northumberland, and those from Castle Howard are of course favourites in my career, but so too are sales that capture the imagination of the buyers, from Freddie Mercury to Mary Soames, garnering such excitement and energy.

It is this energy which makes auctions so much fun, enthralling and, to me, addictive. From the thrill of discovery to the anticipation of bidding. Even as an onlooker, the unfolding of a bidding battle is drama, intrigue, victory and loss, all played out in a brief minute or two.

It is this very excitement which has drawn me to Dreweatts. With its dynamic calendar of frequent and diverse sales, alongside the many fascinating collections and the associated stories presented throughout the year, it is an invigorating place to work. I have many colleagues here, with whom I worked in my early South Ken days and I think we would all agree that we have, in a way, come full circle. Our excitement for the objects and collections we handle and seeing these pieces go to new homes has not waned in the slightest.

It is the Spring equinox today and I write this looking out over the sun-dappled daffodils lining the river here at Donnington Priory. Spring is firmly in the air, and long may it last! I cannot guarantee it will be quite so glorious, but I very much hope to see you at the galleries and gardens soon. We have an incredibly exciting line up of sales scheduled for the next few months and for later this year. I have chosen a few of my favourites from the upcoming April sales as you will see below.

Henry's Top Picks

No. 1

Modern Design & Decorative Art: to include The Collection of Silka Rittson-Thomas | 14 & 15 April

Lot 74: Mats Theselius (Swedish, B.1956), A pair of Easy Chairs, designed in 1990, Polished aluminium, beech, leather | Est. £1,500-2,000 (+ fees)

"From the collection of Silka Rittson-Thomas, these chairs hint at the renowned lines of the Klismos chair, combining industrial aluminium with classical styling."

No. 2

Modern Design & Decorative Art: to include The Collection of Silka Rittson-Thomas | 14 & 15 April

Lot 381: Ostertag (Paris), an Art Deco malachite, onyx and enamel picture frame, circa 1934 | Est. £20,000-30,000 (+ fees)

"I love the combination of materials and the strong deco design. It is a piece of table-top jewellery."

No.3

Sporting Art | 22 April

Lot 4: John Wootton (British 1686-1765), Bay Bolton, held by a groom, in a parkland setting, Oil on canvas | Est. £25,000-35,000 (+ fees)

"This wonderful painting by Wootton of horse and groom is a classic country house picture of the 18^th century, depicted in a classical landscape."

No. 4

Sporting Art | 22 April

Lot 19: James Pollard (British 1792-1867), Hatchetts, The White Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, Oil on canvas | Estate. £10,000-15,000 (+ fees)

"I love paintings depicting London, added to this is the joyful naivety of the painting and the sense of a bustling Piccadilly."

No. 5

Sporting Art | 22 April

Lot 81: John Charlton (British 1849-1917), Charles, 8th Earl of Harrington's Foxhounds, at Elvaston Castle, Oil on canvas | Est. £4,000-6,000 (+ fees)

"Although part of a larger painting originally, this caught my eye. I love hounds, but also Elvaston was one of the great treasure houses with magnificent furniture."

Auction Details

Modern Design & Decorative Art to include The Collection of Silka Rittson-Thomas
14 & 15 April, 10.30am BST

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Sporting Art
22 April, 10.30am BST

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