The Robin Symes Collection – an eclectic range of Old Masters, 20th Century American abstracts, architectural items, textiles and tribal pieces belonging to the renowned dealer – reached £500,000 when it was was sold, without reserve, by Bonhams in their Oxford saleroom on 7 October 2009.
The sale attracted tremendous interest from both dealers and private clients, many of which either knew or had dealings with Robin Symes and appreciated his exceptional eye and good taste. Several pieces of art proved particularly popular with Picasso’s sketch Etude pour personnage au baton – trios nus et tête de profil achieving a market correct £28,800, whilst Frantisek Kupka’s signed Study for Fugue in two colours similarly sold for £28,800 against a pre-sale estimate of £10,000-15,000.
Other notable pieces of art to be sold included Giovanni Battista Franco’s Study of a stooping male figure which sold for £24,000 (estimated £10,000-15,000) and Filippo Napoletano ink and wash sketch of Boat Construction in a Dry Dock reaching £22,800 against a pre-sale estimate of £2,000-3,000. More contemporary art also performed well in the sale, with British artist Michael Leonard’s Man Reaching Down 1987 selling for £12,000 (estimated £500-700).
Items of furniture and mosaic also performed well in the sale. Two mosaic panels of green and yellow marble achieved over ten times their pre-sale estimate of £200-400 to achieve £21,600, and a rectangular table top faced and edged with brown onyx sold for £12,000 (estimated £200-300). Other highlights include a Regency giltwood pier mirror, which reached £14,000 (estimated £1,500-2,000), a mahogany dish stand which sold for £15,600 (estimated £500-700) and a George III mahogany and marble topped hall table which sold for £14,400 (estimated £800-1,200).
Michael Wynell-Mayow, Director comments: “This result underlines the added interest in single vendor sales, particularly when the former owner has such a good eye for unusual, quality, art works.” www.bonhams.com/oxford
