STUART WALTON

Stuart Walton (British, b. 1933) A powerful and historically significant example of mid-century Northern Realism by the acclaimed Yorkshire chronicler Stuart Walton (b.1933). Dated 1968, this imposing oil on board captures a defining, vanished moment in the industrial topography of Leeds.  The composition is dominated by a dramatic row of heavy, timber raking shores—colossal wooden buttresses erected along the slopes of, what we think may be, Mabgate to structurally brace the towering Victorian mills and foundries looming over the narrow residential streets. Characterized by Walton’s signature soot-toned palette, crisp structural line work, and atmospheric play of light, this piece serves as both an evocative work of art and an invaluable social document of a working-class community just prior to the sweeping post-war demolitions of the 1970s.  Condition: The painting itself is in very good condition, presented in its vintage frame behind glass. The frame exhibits marks and wear commensurate with age, including one notable chip out of the left-hand side measuring approximately 8cm long. In our opinion, this does not detract from the character of the piece, and the painting is ready to hang.

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LILIAN COLBOURN

Lilian Victoria Epworth Colbourn (British, 1897–1967) | ‘Houses, Paris’  An exceptional oil on canvas by Lilian Colbourn entitled Houses, Paris. Signed 'COLBOURN' lower left and inscribed verso. This painting represents a significant departure from Colbourn’s better-known topographical and maritime studies of the North Yorkshire coast. Executed circa 1958, this sophisticated canvas represents an important milestone in her career, demonstrating how seamlessly her celebrated Northern expressionism could adapt to the cosmopolitan subject matter of post-war Europe. The work reveals a profound synthesis of European Expressionism and British mid-century abstraction. Her sophisticated palette beautifully balances low-key tones with strategic, luminous accents of soft pink and brilliant sky-blue peering through the rooftops. This optical contrast gives the canvas a remarkably dynamic presence, ensuring the steep, claustrophobic verticals of the historic Parisian architecture remain vibrant and alive. The painting functions as a masterful study of space, light, and movement, perfectly encapsulating the critical assessment of her contemporary, the eminent art critic Eric Newton, who identified her style as a uniquely "turbulent vision". Condition: The painting is in very good original condition. The frame has sustained a crack that runs horizontally on the cream inner section of the frame, this is solid but visible. There are also chips and marks to the frame consistent with age. In our opinion this does not detract and the painting is ready to hang on the wall.

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LILIAN COLBOURN

Lilian Victoria Epworth Colbourn (British, 1897–1967) | ‘La Crêperie Bretonne’  An exceptional oil on board by Lilian Colbourn entitled La Crêperie Bretonne, Paris. Signed 'COLBOURN' lower right. This painting represents a significant departure from Colbourn’s better-known topographical and maritime studies of the North Yorkshire coast. Executed circa 1958, this sophisticated canvas represents an important milestone in her career, demonstrating how seamlessly her celebrated Northern expressionism could adapt to the cosmopolitan subject matter of post-war Europe. The work reveals a synthesis of European Expressionism and British mid-century abstraction. Her sophisticated palette beautifully balances low-key tones with strategic, luminous accents of cadmium yellow and ochre. This optical contrast gives the canvas a remarkably dynamic presence, ensuring the sombre, smoky interior atmosphere remains vibrant and alive. The painting functions as a masterful study of space, light, and movement, perfectly encapsulating the critical assessment of her contemporary, the eminent art critic Eric Newton, who identified her style as a uniquely "turbulent vision". Condition: Very good original condition. 

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FLORENCE ADELINA HESS

A wonderful British Impressionist oil on panel by Florence Adelina Hess, a notable figure associated with the celebrated Staithes Group and Fylingdales Group of artists. Depicting an Angler and Bridge, the painting beautifully captures a fisherman wading into a Yorkshire river, set against the backdrop of a stone arched bridge and rolling hills. Hess was the most prominent pupil and studio assistant to the Yorkshire painter Mark Senior. This piece perfectly reflects Senior’s influence on her technique. Works by Hess with this particular, provenance are highly sought after by collectors of the Northern Impressionist school. The back of the panel offers a window into the painting's history, boasting fantastic provenance: The Bradford Exhibition Label: Features the official, vintage paper label from the City of Bradford Corporation Art Gallery, Cartwright Memorial Hall, clearly marked as Loan/Exhibition No. 37. The Artist's Studio Label: Includes a highly charming, partially remaining secondary label handwritten with the title "Sketch", highlighting the piece's origins as a fresh, immediate en-plein-air study. The Doris Bilbrough Collection: Acquired directly from the artist’s estate by Doris Bilbrough (née Sykes), who served as the trusted cook to the Hess household during the 1930s. Condition: There are some light cracks to the wooden panel, however this does not affect the integrity of the painting, which remains in a good, stable condition. Housed in a complementary 20th-century frame showing some light, age-related wear and character marks.

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ALEXANDER HARWOOD

Alexander Harwood (British, 1873–1943) | The S.S. Greyhound (H84), 1911 An interesting piece of Edwardian British maritime folk art by the celebrated pier-head painter Alexander Harwood (1873–1943). Painted in 1911, this watercolour and gouache portrait depicts the steam trawler S.S. Greyhound (H84) navigating a dramatic, churned North Sea swell. The vessel was originally built in 1889 by the celebrated Hull shipbuilders Cook, Welton & Gemmell for the Humber Steam Trawling Company. Born in Scarborough and a celebrated British "Pierhead Painter", Harwood spent his life working directly alongside the fishing fleets as a fish porter. This firsthand, gritty familiarity with the vessels manifests in the draftsman-like precision of the Greyhound’s rigging, hull registration, and the thick charcoal smoke billowing from her funnel. Today, Harwood’s culturally significant documentations of Great Britain's industrial fishing golden age are highly sought after, with several of his ship portraits preserved in the permanent collection of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum.  While this 1911 painting brilliantly captures the Greyhound in her proud Humber Steam Trawling livery, it serves as a poignant time-capsule of a ship on the brink of an extraordinary wartime destiny. To protect the asset from early North Sea hostilities, the ship was sold to Sweden in 1914, where she operated under the name Sjöbjörn ("The Sea Bear"). By 1916, her rugged, 1889 Hull-built iron craftsmanship caught the attention of the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina), who purchased her for active military service. Rechristened the Razzoli, this humble Yorkshire trawler was armed and spent the remainder of the Great War serving on the frontlines of the Mediterranean naval theatre. This portrait stands as the definitive visual record of her British heritage before her heroic wartime transformation.

Condition: The painting is housed in an attractive period frame but features a contemporary mount. The paper displays some historic foxing consistent with its 115-year age, which is most apparent in the sky.

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BRIAN COOLE

Brian Coole (Anglo-American, 1939–2017)

An exceptional and highly atmospheric marine oil painting on canvas by the celebrated historical marine artist Brian Coole (signed lower right). Housed in a heavily ornamented giltwood frame that complements its historic aesthetic, this piece depicts a majestic Three-Masted Clipper Ship in Rough Seas and dates to the Mid-to-Late 20th Century (executed in the 19th-century historical manner).

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ALEXANDER JAMIESON

Alexander Jamieson (Scottish, 1873–1937)  This painting is a superb, highly characteristic example of early 20th-century British Impressionism, capturing the atmospheric, sun-dappled grandeur of the gardens at Versailles—a deeply favoured subject of the renowned Scottish Impressionist Alexander Jamieson. The oil on board painting centres on an ornate fountain, where sculpted sea-horses rise from the water beneath a classical figurative tier, set against a rich backdrop of warm, autumnal foliage. Executed with Jamieson's characteristically confident, fluid brushwork. Preserved on the reverse is a historical note documenting its direct purchase in 1996 from Miss J. Smith—the companion of Jamieson’s daughter, Catherine—straight from the artist's former studio at Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire.  Condition: Painting - Very good antique condition, the only thing to note is there appears to be some small scratching to the surface in the bottom right corner. Frame - There is a chip to the corner of the frame at the top right corner. In our opinion this piece is ready to hang.

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PAUL-ÉLIE GERNEZ

Paul-Élie Gernez (French, 1888–1948) | Church and Village in a French Landscape

Condition: The painting is in very good condition. The frame has minor damage to the front corners, likely where the frame ties or reinforcing pins have slightly pushed through over time. The reverse of the panel bears historical auction/inventory chalk marks.

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RONALD OSSORY DUNLOP

Ronald Ossory Dunlop RA (British, 1894–1973) | 'Figure in the Garden'

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DAME LAURA KNIGHT

Dame Laura Knight, DBE, RA, RWS (1877–1970) | 'Rearing Horse'  A captivating and dynamic original pencil drawing by Dame Laura Knight, one of the most prominent and trailblazing British artists of the 20th century. This sketch, which features a rearing horse, beautifully captures the energy and movement that defined Knight’s celebrated fascination with equestrian and circus subjects. Hand-signed by the artist in pencil, this piece offers an intimate look at her masterful draftsmanship and immediate, expressive line-work. Circa late 1920s / early 1930s. This work dates from the peak of Knight's celebrated circus and equestrian periods, capturing the intense, immediate draftsmanship that defined her interwar output. Condition: Sketch - Very good original condition. Frame - Housed in a contemporary frame and in good condition. There is just one minor scratch to note on the front of the frame, which is visible in the provided photographs.

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BOTANICAL ENGRAVINGS

A large group of 20 hand coloured botanical engravings, dating from the 1830s–1840s by Victorian engravers J. & J. Parkin.  Presented in mid-toned natural wood frames with neutral mounts.  A wonderful cross-section of early Victorian garden favourites. Notable specimens include the "Royal Sovereign" Tulip, Florist Auriculas, Dahlias and Chrysanthemums, as well as charming mixed studies of pansies, morning glories, and salvias. Condition: Good antique condition. In keeping with their age, the sheets and mounts exhibit areas of light foxing. Please add the total number of engravings you would like to purchase to your basket and checkout, then email us with the numbers (top right of product images) of your chosen pieces.

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PITH PORTRAITS

A charming and complete set of twelve 19th century Chinese pith paper paintings (historically referred to as "rice paper" paintings). Dating from the late Qing Dynasty (c. 1840–1880), these works were created in the studios of Canton (Guangzhou) specifically for the Western export market. Each miniature leaf is painstakingly hand-painted in gouache, a medium that sits on the surface of the cellular pith to create a luminous, almost three-dimensional effect that remains remarkably bright over a century later. The collection serves as a record of the period, featuring a diverse cast of characters including high-ranking officials, musicians and figures in courtly life. The set is housed in the original Victorian-era cardboard presentation box with a glass lid. The gouache pigments remain exceptionally vivid and saturated. As is characteristic of this fragile, organic medium, there are some natural fractures and peripheral chips to several of the pith sheets (as shown in the photographs), six of the twelve portraits have had repairs to the back . The original box shows typical age-related wear to the paper trim but remains structurally sound and provides excellent provenance.

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