1st Oct, 2024 10:00
Modern and Contemporary Art | To include the David and Pam McCleave Collection
42
▲ Ruskin Spear RA (1911-1990)
'Sherry Bar Portrait'
signed 'Ruskin Spear' l.r., oil on canvas with collage
98.5 x 68cm
Provenance: Sotheby's, New Bond Street, 'Modern British Pictures' 4 March 1998, lot 162;
The David and Pam McCleave Collection of Modern British Art.
Exhibited: Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 1964, catalogue no. 209.
Literature: Mervyn Levy, 'Ruskin Spear', Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1985, no.53, p.62.
'The Sherry Bar' was painted in the Ravenscourt Arms, Hammersmith, London. The painting is notable not only for its artistic qualities, but also for its connection of two prominent cultural figures: the artist, Ruskin Spear, and the celebrated Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. The pair often met here and, according to Spear, the Ravenscourt Arms was a place where Dylan Thomas engaged in his early morning 'light drinking' during the late 1940s.
Take advantage of our Sworders Delivery Service. Please see 'Shipping estimate' below.
A selection of works by Ruskin Spear featuring in our 1-2 October Modern & Contemporary Art auction.
Sold for £28,000
Condition Report
Framed: 126 x 96cm
Presents well overall. There are some small cracks in places, including to the lady's bust, forehead and the picture of the Beatles.A small scratch to the forehead. A little rubbing to the extreme top edge. The canvas is a little loose to the touch but in our opinion this does not affect enjoyment of the work when viewed on the wall. Examined under UV light there is some fine infilling the chest. There is possible further overpainting to the lower cheek which fluoreses under UV light, but is difficult to detect to the naked eye. Please see additional condition images.
IN PERSON
To bid in person at auction for the first time please register for a bidding paddle in advance by filling out and submitting a registration form at our front desk. When registering in person we require photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence.
ABSENTEE BIDDING
If you cannot attend the auction in person we can bid on your behalf. You can leave an absentee bid on our website.
The amount you bid should be your maximum bid. We will bid up to that limit for you, and remember you may end up paying less than your limit, depending on other bidding on the day.
You can leave an absentee bid up to half an hour before the start of any sale. Please note when we receive two or more absentee bids for the same amount, the first bid received will be the one taken.
LEAVE COMMISSION BIDS ONLINE
If you would like to leave a commission bid on our website you can do so up until 30 minutes before the sale starts. Leaving a commission bid through sworder.co.uk is free for all registered clients. Thereafter you may register bank card details under your account in order to bid live. Click here to register an account.
BID LIVE ON sworder.co.uk
You can bid live at our auctions from the comfort of your home or office using bidding platform Sworders Live. It is easy to register and you can watch the auction live as it happens. A 'Bid Live' button will appear on the auction on our website homepage when a sale is live; simply click the button to sign in or register with your card details. There is no additional charge for this service.
For further instructions on registering to bid live, please click here.
TELEPHONE BIDDING
If you would like to bid by telephone please contact our team prior to the auction with your details of the lots you are interested in and your full name, address, telephone number(s) and email address. Once our team have entered your bid request you will receive an email confirmation. We will contact you during the sale and one of our team will bid live with you over the phone.
Please note that we normally offer this service for lots with an estimate of £500 or higher and all telephone bid requests must be received by close of business the day before the auction.
Auction: Modern and Contemporary Art | To include the David and Pam McCleave Collection, 1st Oct, 2024
The David and Pam McCleave Collection
Viewing
London Viewing | Highlights
A selection of lots will be on view Tuesday 3 - Thursday 19 September at our London Gallery, 15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ, as follows:
Monday-Friday, 11.30am - 5.30pm
For more information, please contact 0203 971 2500 | london@sworder.co.uk
Stansted Viewing | Auction
Viewing will be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE, as follows:
Thursday 26 September, 10am - 4pm
Friday 27 September, 10am - 4pm
Sunday 29 September, 10am - 1pm
Monday 30 September, 10am - 4pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
The auction will take place at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE.
Please note that this item is not suitable for a pre-sale automated shipping estimate due to the items weight/size.
The below table shows indicative shipping costs for larger items being delivered within the UK mainland. Please note that all the below costs are purely for indicative purposes and are to be used as a guideline only. If you purchase multiple large items, we will combine deliveries to reduce the shipping costs.
Should you be successful in buying this item, a specific shipping estimate will need to be requested after the sale using the link in your invoice email; this also includes all requests for international delivery.
If you would like further information about shipping and collection please see here.
Buying a pre-loved, antique, or vintage item not only provides you with unique style and value for money but it also helps to reduce landfill, and the annual emissions of an antique or vintage piece can be as little as one sixteenth of those of its new equivalent!
Sworders is proud to be supporting the work of Antiques are Green - the movement that was founded in 2009 to promote “a greener future created from the past”. Read their fascinating carbon footprint study of a Georgian chest of drawers versus a modern equivalent here
Request A Valuation
Here at Sworders, we are happy to offer a free online valuation service. Please fill out the form and press the 'Submit' button below.
To help us with your valuation please attach clear photographs of the item where possible. You can submit up to 5.
Approximate dimensions are also useful. Expect to hear from the appropriate valuer as soon as possible.
