Month: July 2024

Finely Curated Collection of Coins and Medallions Provides a Window into 17th Century England

An Edward VI 1551 Tudor Crown, obverse and reverse

This week I am in the company of Toovey’s coin specialist, Mark Stonard, who is celebrating the sale of the remarkable Robert Pearce of Normanton Hall, Normanton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire collection of coins and medallions.

I ask Mark about the late Robert Pearce’s collection. He says “It was a carefully curated collection started in the 1940s. It comprised largely of English Crowns from Edward VI in 1551 to Elizabeth II in 1977. The Edward VI crown from 1551 depicts the boy king on horseback. It had a typically Tudor look to it. It was a third period Crown and a fine issue mint-marked Y. On the reverse you see a shield on a cross. It was fascinating to see its provenance with the original approval invoice from B.A. Seaby Ltd, dated 6th March 1946 for £9. It realised £1500.”

“Alongside the coins was a pretty comprehensive collection of wonderful 17th and 18th century medals and medallions. Most of them celebrated or commemorated points of British history from the turbulent 17th century including the repercussions of the English Civil War and Commonwealth. The story of the medals included a Charles I cast and chased silver royalist badge by Thomas Rawlins. These were usually given to officers in the King’s army and also others who helped the King and Queen. It made £1300.”

Charles I cast and chased silver royalist badge by Thomas Rawlins, obverse and reverse

Mark continues “What was remarkable was the way Robert put together the collection of coins and medals just after the Second World War – another time of great uncertainty in the history of our nation. He had a great eye and bought a number of big and impressive things. He curated them carefully laying them out in his multi-drawer coin collectors’ cabinet. They provided a remarkable window into 17th century England. Among the medals were examples by some of England’s finest engravers and medallists including Thomas Simon, Thomas Rawlins and John Roettiers.” Mark explains how Thomas Simon’s career spanned the Commonwealth and the restoration of Charles II. Thomas Rawlins was a playwright and medallist. The Roettiers were a family of celebrated engravers and medallists. John was the most significant of the Roettiers engravers and would become Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint in 1670. Mark adds “All these men were born into the 17th century world of the English Civil War but found a path to create beautiful objects. Objects which still delight collectors today.”

Mark Stonard is always happy to share his passion for this specialist field with collectors at Toovey’s.

Dinky Toys Delight Historic Motor Racing Enthusiasts and Toy Collectors Alike

A Dinky Toys No. 249 Gift Set Racing Cars, comprising a No. 233 Cooper-Bristol, a No. 232 Alfa-Romeo, a No. 234 Ferrari, a No. 235 HWM and a No. 231 Maserati

As the noise and drama of the Goodwood Festival of Speed fade to memory I am looking forward to the 2024 Goodwood Revival which celebrates racing cars which would have raced in period at the famous circuit.

The racing circuit started life as a perimeter track to the World War II RAF Westhampnett airbase. The Duke of Richmond and Gordon permitted the first race organised by the Junior Car Club which was held on the 18th September 1948.

There was a terrific appetite for motor racing after the war. Goodwood would become famous for its Glover Trophy Formula One non-championship race and the Goodwood nine hour sports car endurance races.

Just weeks after the introduction of driving tests in Great Britain, the No. 23a racing car became the first model vehicle to bear the brand Dinky Toys when it rolled off the production line in April 1934. However, the history of this household name of toy manufacturing already had its foundations firmly laid prior to the production of this little car. Meccano had been produced at the same Liverpool factory since the early 1900s, created by toy pioneer Frank Hornby.

The delightful AA set with its diorama box is a lovely example of this early period and sold at Toovey’s for £140 despite being a little play-worn.

A pre-war Dinky Toys No. 44 AA hut, motorcycle patrol and guides, boxed

The Second World War halted production of toys at the ‘Binns Road’ factory in Liverpool with attention turning to war work. They even raised funds for a ‘Meccano’ Spitfire by creating a special pendant to purchase the aircraft.

Like Goodwood Dinky Toys enjoyed a renaissance after the war years. In 1947 Dinky ‘Supertoys’ were launched to great success. Dinky Supertoys were a larger scale than that previously offered and were produced for nearly two decades. The entire range of Dinky vehicles included planes, military vehicles, cars, vans and lorries. In their striking boxes and bold colours, these are as prized among collectors today as they were coveted by children of the day. The Dinky Toys No. 249 Gift Set Racing Cars, comprised cars which would have raced at Goodwood in period’. It made £950 at Toovey’s. Dinky Toys remain popular with collectors of toys and historic motor racing enthusiasts and Toovey’s toy specialist, Chris Gale is inviting entries for the next specialist toy sale.

Best of British Feeling at 2024 Festival of Speed

Red Bull Racing celebrated on the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed Hill Climb

Red Bull Racing was celebrated at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed together with the centenary of the MG marque.

A packed weekend of displays and competition on the famous hill climb saw the McMurtry Spéirling once again lead the way with a remarkable time of 39.08 seconds driven by Max Chilton. I have never seen anything move up Goodwood’s hill as fast as the McMurtry Spéirling (the name is apparently Irish for thunderstorm). It looks like a cross between a Batmobile and a Le Mans prototype racer. The dual electric engines deliver 0-60mph in under two seconds and a top speed of 200mph. The car makes a sound like a jet engine thanks to its fans which generate 2000kg of downforce. It moved so fast it sucked hay out of the trackside bales!

Sunday saw current Formula 1 World Champion, Max Verstappen lead a host of motor racing stars up the hill in an array of Red Bull racing cars. Max looked relaxed and delighted to be at Goodwood with iconic British designer Adrian Newey on the house balcony, despite the undoubted pressures of the Formula 1 season. Red Bull Racing came into being when the energy drink manufacturer purchased the Jaguar Formula 1 team. Based in Britain it has been amongst the dominant teams in F1 winning six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles in its twenty year history. It will be interesting to see how they fare once Adrian Newey leaves the team at the end of this season.

The centenary of much loved MGs marked at Goodwood

MG took centre stage celebrating their centenary as a motor manufacturer. The marque has a strong association with Goodwood and raced in period at the iconic circuit. Old met new with an iconic MK1 MGB roadster and the new Cyberstar convertible sportscar displayed on the remarkable sculpture outside Goodwood House. It provided the backdrop to the MG Celebration which saw MG’s from across the century driven to the lawns of the house as daytime fireworks filled the sky drawing applause from the crowds.

Goodwood Festival of Speed has become the British Motor Show in all but name and all the major motor manufacturers were on display including the exemplary Sussex firm Rolls Royce. The Red Arrows display added to the Best of British feeling with their extraordinary acrobatics. As the noise and spectacle of the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed fades to memory I am looking forward to the Goodwood Revival and offer my congratulations to the remarkable Goodwood team.

The Formative Influence of the Arts And Crafts Potter and Designer William De Morgan

A detail of three William de Morgan ‘Moffatt’ pattern, Merton Abbey period, pottery tiles showing the influence of the Persian on his designs

The English potter William de Morgan had a formative influence on the Arts and Crafts Movement. He trained at the Royal Academy of Arts. In the early 1860s he was associated with William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelite artists Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He began to produce his famous tiles and pottery in London in 1869. In 1882 he moved his workshop to William Morris’s site at Merton Abbey on the River Wandle in south-west London where he stayed until 1888 when he set up a factory in Fulham.

Reacting against the Victorian fashion for 18th century style vases decorated with botanical studies, Chinese designs and the Gothic Revival, de Morgan found inspiration in the Persian and Hispano-Moresque. His tiles and vessels were decorated in lustre or the Persian palette of green, black and turquoise. The set of three William de Morgan ‘Moffatt’ pattern pottery tiles were made during de Morgan’s Merton Abbey period between 1882 and 1888. Painted in purple, green, brown and turquoise, they mirror the Persian Iznik patterns which were such an inspiration to de Morgan. The tile design is illustrated in ‘The Designs of William de Morgan’ by Martin Greenwood and these three tiles realised £950 at Toovey’s.

A William de Morgan Sunset and Moonlight Suite triple lustre bowl, by Fred Passenger, late 19th/early 20th century, painted to the interior with a stylized lion

William de Morgan was a master of carefully integrated patterns, his designs included animals, fishes and Grecian ships. The subjects of these spirited motifs, although stylized, are clearly recognisable. They are rich in their effect as can be seen in the small Moonlight Suite triple lustre bowl painted with a lion beneath a band of hearts and leaves framed by the elegant border of stiff leaves. It sold for £1200 at Toovey’s. Passenger was a partner in the firm at Sands End, Fulham between 1898 and 1907 together with de Morgan, Frank Iles and Charles Passenger.

De Morgan’s distinctive art pottery, influenced by Middle Eastern motifs and the natural world, added beauty and colour to Victorian homes. William de Morgan ceramics, and Arts and Crafts pieces more generally including furniture, silver and metalwork, are highly sought after by collectors. William Rowsell is inviting entries for his next specialist Arts and Crafts auction at Toovey’s and is always delighted to share and discuss his passion for this field with collectors.

Great Dixter a Place of Beauty and Blessing

Great Dixter enfolded by its meadows and gardens

I have long wanted to visit Great Dixter and its celebrated gardens and I am excited as I arrive.

The house and gardens are the very personal, creative expression of the late Christopher Lloyd, his family, and his friend and head gardener Fergus Garrett.

Christopher’s father, Nathaniel, was a highly successful entrepreneur. The success of his colour printing firm allowed him to retire in 1909 at the age of 35. A passionate collector of antique furniture he bought Great Dixter in 1910 for £6000 with his wife Daisy. Nathaniel commissioned the then little known architect, Edwin Lutyens, to restore and enlarge the 15th century house. In 1911 Lutyens was asked to provide outline plans for the garden. The topiary was Nathaniel’s inspiration but the planting was devised by Daisy. Gertrude Jekyll, who often worked closely with Lutyens did not produce any planting plans but her influence on Daisy through her writing can be seen in the schemes with attention to the foliage, structure and colour co-ordinated sweeps of plants. Inspiration seems to have also been drawn form the writings of William Robinson whose emphasis on naturalistic planting using grasses and wildflowers are apparent in his own garden at Gravetye and can also be seen at Great Dixter.

A border in the Sunk Garden at Great Dixter

Daisy and Nathaniel’s youngest son, Christopher Lloyd, would imbue the gardens at Great Dixter with a unique and particular voice. He gardened there with his mother until her death in 1972. As he experimented with planting at Great Dixter he gave practical expression to the mixed border which we take for granted today but in the 1950s seemed new and radical. The particular voice of Great Dixter’s gardens and its experimental nature brought Christopher Lloyd and Fergus Garrett together. The planting is informal with large swathes of colour in groups. The gardens are on a grand scale and bless you with immediate impressions which belie the detail and artistry of these living compositions making them so extraordinary. As you pay attention to the detail of the planting you enter into an exploration of the joy of these gifted plantsmen. Each garden room and border and the open sweep of the meadow areas with their delicate wild flowers moving gently in the breeze reminds you that you are sharing a private garden which has such life. The planting enfolds you. It is an intimate, personal experience which engages all your senses. This is a truly extraordinary place filled with beauty and blessing. To find out more and to plan your visit go to www.greatdixter.co.uk.