JOY FOR ARCHIVE
A collection of 11 paintings by local artists, anonymously donated to raise funds for the Slaidburn Archive, recently went under the hammer at Silverwoods
There was unprecedented interest in the works of art donated to raise money for Slaidburn Archive – mostly by Elijah and Fred Cawthorne – and the collection achieved a total of £3,700 for the charity. The highlight was a signed gouache of a of a Barn Owl in a stable by Michael (Mike) Jackson, which went to an internet bidder for £1,000.
Slaidburn Archive Administrator, Helen Wallbank, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the amount raised which has far exceeded our expectations. As well as thanking the donor very much, we have really appreciated all the local support we have received and also the expert advice given by Wilf and his team at Silverwoods. We are planning a move into a larger and more accessible downstairs room at the archive in Church Street and these new funds will really help towards that.”
Also in the paintings of the Fine Arts and Antiques auction were five works by James Lawrence Isherwood all of which performed well, with the highlight being a signed watercolour of Parbold Hill, which sold in the room for £400.
Early in the sale, there were two unusual lots – a photograph of boxers Muhammad Ali and George Forman showing Forman taking a punch from Ali during their famous 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, signed by both protagonists, which sold for £350. A German WWII pilot’s military Hanhart signed wristwatch was knocked down to an internet bidder for £1,000 even though it ran only briefly, while a top quality album of GB stamps went for £1,600.
In the silver and jewellery section, the top performers were a pair of silver table models of pheasants which more than doubled their estimate, going to the internet for £950.
Of a selection of classical bronzes in the auction, a black patinated bronze reduction of the Bartolomeo Colleoni sculpture in Venice, was the best performer, achieving £600 from a commission bid. An early 20th century mahogany three train chiming longcase clock with a signature plaque W B Pidduck and Son Manchester and eight day movement went to an internet bidder for £2,200.
