London - Encapsulating a quintessentially British taste for the arts, A London Season: Works of Art from a Private Collection in Eaton Square will be offered for sale at Christie’s on 21 November 2018. This charming private collection includes Sporting Art, Old Master Paintings, Impressionist and Modern Art, Decorative Arts and Chinese Works of Art, from a magnificent residence in Thomas Cubitt’s stucco terrace overlooking Eaton Square. Highlights are led by an exceptionally fine Ben Marshall portrait (estimate: £200,000-300,000), a William III silver-gilt casket (estimate: £150,000-250,000) and a set of 12 George III mahogany ‘gothick’ dining chairs (estimate: £50,000-80,000). With estimates ranging from £300 to £300,000, the collection is expected to realise in excess of £1.5 million.

Orlando Rock, Christie’s Co-Chairman Decorative Arts and UK Chairman: “This magnificent flat in Thomas Cubitt’s stucco terrace overlooking Eaton Square bore witness to the happiest of times over more than 40 years. During their London Seasons in May and October, the generous hospitality of this inspiring and peripatetic couple was legendary. Business titans, politicians, cultural arbiters and invariably guests from the racing world – owners, breeders, trainers and bloodstock agents – were all welcome.”

SPORTING ART

Leading the sale is an atmospheric picture of a Sportsman with a Pointer in a Landscape, from 1799, by Ben Marshall, who was described by art historian Sir Ellis Waterhouse as ‘the most distinguished sporting painter in the generation after Stubbs’ (estimate: £200,000-300,000). Long considered to be a self-portrait of the artist, it has been more recently suggested that the picture is the untraced work exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1801, showing the celebrated sportsman J.G. Shaddick. A full- length portrait of the sitter by Marshall is now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington. A work with notable provenance, it was originally in the collection of Edward Balfour (1849-1927), of Balbirnie, Fife, later owned by Eric Moller, a businessman and racehorse owner who assiduously restored Thorncombe Park in Surrey, which housed his outstanding collection of furniture, clocks and pictures.

Further notable Sporting Art paintings include, from left to right, Marshall’s Mameluke with Newmarket Heath beyond, 1828 (estimate: £60,000–80,000) and Souvenir with jockey up at Newmarket, 1829 (estimate: £60,000–80,000); and John Ferneley’s Equestrian portraits of Sir Francis Mackenzie, 5th Bt., of Gairloch, Master of the Quorn, with Mr Mackenzie, probably his brother, 1828 (estimate: £120,000–180,000) and Don John at the 1838 St. Leger (estimate: £100,000–150,000). Sporting art sculptures feature Galloping racehorse and jockey by John Rattenbury Skeaping (estimate: £800–1,200), Racing Whippet by James Maberly (estimate: £800–1,200).

DECORATIVE ARTS

Leading the Decorative Arts from the collection is a William III silver-gilt casket, with the mark of Pierre Harache I, London, 1695 from the ‘Burghley Toilet Service’ (estimate: £150,000–250,000). A note in the 2nd Marquess’ Day Book/Diary, recently discovered by Jon Culverhouse, the curator at Burghley House, records that the service had been a gift from his stepmother Elizabeth, Dowager Marchioness of Exeter (1757-1837). ‘Silver Gilt Toilet once that of King William III given to Lord Exeter by the Dowager Lady Exeter...’. He also records that is was first used by the Duchess of Kent on her visit to Burghley in September 1835 with her daughter, the future Queen Victoria, ‘...& first used by HRH the Duchess of Kent on her visiting Burghley with the Princess Victoria Septr 21st 1835’.

Further highlights from left to right include: an early 17th century Florentine Pacing Horse and Bull, after the models by Giambologna (estimate: £50,000–80,000); a set of twelve George III mahogany 'gothick' dining-chairs circa 1760, which were formerly in the collection of Miss Pleydell-Bouverie at Coleshill House, Berkshire, where three of the chairs were photographed in the ‘Dining Room’, formerly the ‘Living Parlour’, by Country Life in 1919 (estimate: £50,000–80,000); a George III ormolu-mounted harewood, amaranth, Indian rosewood, laburnum and marquetry serpentine bombe commode, attributed to Pierre Langlois, circa 1765, formerly in the collection of The Viscounts Downe, Wykeham Abbey, Scarborough, Yorkshire (estimate: £60,000-80,000).

ANIMALS & WILDLIFE

Examples include a pair of Chinese cloisonné enamel models of magpies, late 18th-19th century (estimate: £15,000–20,000); a fine and large pair of Chinese Export porcelain models of cranes, Qianlong Period (estimate: £30,000–50,000); Joseph Gott, Rome, 1825-30 Greyhound Suckling Her Two Pups (estimate: £8,000–12,000); and a pair of French ormolu-mounted Meissen porcelain models of a Lion and Lioness, circa 1750, the ormolu bases 19th century (estimate: £8,000–12,000).

IMPORTANT WORKS TO BE OFFERED ACROSS OTHER SALES

“A comprehensive understanding of jewel-like workmanship led to a fascination with extraordinary feats of craftmanship – a Cartier diamond and citrine Mystery Clock (estimate: CHF 200,000-200,000 to be offered in Magnificent Jewels, Geneva, 13 November, illustrated right), vying for attention beside ‘King William III’s’ silver-gilt casket. But in spite of so many treasures, this sumptuous pied-à-terre was first and foremost a family gathering point – so perhaps it is Henry Moore’s Family Group that best encapsulates their remarkable legacy.” Orlando Rock, Christie’s Co-Chairman Decorative Arts

Works by Henry Moore in the Modern British Art Evening Sale on 19 November, include: Family Group, conceived in 1944 and cast in an edition of nine (estimate: £250,000-350,000); Maquette for Fallen Warrior, conceived in 1956 and cast in an edition of ten (estimate: £100,000-150,000); and in the Modern British Art Day Sale on 20 November: Two Forms, conceived in 1934 in ironstone and cast in bronze in 1967 in an edition of six (estimate: ￡60,000-80,000). The main collection sale will also include Maquette for Reclining Figure: Circle, conceived in 1983, by Henry Moore (estimate: £30,000–50,000).

To view the full sale please click here for the e-catalogue