Rupert Toovey’s Articles – Page 73

A Very British Motorcycle Enthusiast

This week I am in the company of lifelong motorcycle enthusiast and mechanic, Simon Elliott. He greets me at the entrance to the Ideal Motorcycle showrooms, a venue well known to enthusiasts and collectors.

As we enter the contemporary barn showroom I am greeted by an extraordinary range of vintage, classic and historic motorcycles, most of which are for sale. Each has been painstakingly researched and sourced by Simon. He says “I have a passion for the history of these bikes and their owners. It’s fascinating when you have the original bill of sale or some photographs of a bike from its past.”

Simon’s father, John, racing an Ariel at the Isle of Man TT in 1954

His father, John, raced in the Senior Race at the Isle of Man TT in 1954 which perhaps, in part, explains Simon’s love of motorcycles. His interest dates from an early age. In 1967, at the age of seven, Simon was competing with the Horsham Schoolboy Scramble Club on a bike built by his father.

Simon Elliott has turned a passion for motorcycles into a business.

Two of Simon’s favourite bikes currently in the showrooms are trials machines from the era when his father was racing.

He is keen to show me the Triumph TR5 Trophy which was first registered on 2nd January 1950 and is delighted that he has the original bill of sale and records for much of the motorcycle’s history. Simon enthuses “The bike’s Trophy name came after Triumph won the Italian International Six Day Trial (ISDT) and the manufacturer’s team trophy in 1949. Triumph would also win the ISDT in 1950 and 1951. It was a motorcycle designed to be used every day and for competition at the weekend with its 500cc twin overhead valve engine and wide ratio gearbox.”

Simon draws my attention to a beautifully restored Norton 500T dating from 1951. Simon explains “It was the only trials bike Norton made in any quantity. It was really intended for competition and unlike the Triumph even the lights were an extra.”

Simon is often to be found at motorcycle shows and events and really values the camaraderie amongst his fellow enthusiasts. He says “People who are passionate about motorcycles often visit or telephone the showrooms just for an informed chat. I’m really pleased that Ideal Motorcycles is becoming a hub for fellow collectors in West Sussex. It’s always good to see them.” Simon has recently welcomed Sussex members of the Vintage Motorcycle Club and British Motorcycle Club at the Ideal Motorcycle showroom.

Simon Elliott’s eclectic motorcycling interests are reflected in his stock. You will find bikes from many eras and nations each carefully chosen by this knowledgeable and passionate connoisseur.

British motorcycles of the Post-War period reflect our nation’s engineering flair and inventiveness. Each has a unique character and individuality which continues to delight enthusiasts more than half a century after they were manufactured.

Simon Elliott has turned his passion for collecting motorcycles into a business. To find out more about Ideal Motorcycles, Spring Gardens, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 3BS, go to www.idealmotorcycles.co.uk or telephone 01903 892492.

By Rupert Toovey, a senior director of Toovey’s, the leading fine art auction house in West Sussex, based on the A24 at Washington. Originally published in the West Sussex Gazette.

St Mary’s House Welcomes Visitors over the Centuries

As you walk up the garden path through the beautifully clipped topiary St Mary’s House reveals herself. The close set vertical timbers and contrasting white panels reflect the light with a particular quality.

St Mary’s captured the imaginations of her current custodians and patrons, Peter Thorogood and Roger Linton, who bought the house and gardens in 1984. They have worked tirelessly and invested constantly in the house and gardens which were in some disrepair when they took them on. It has always been their express wish to open them to the public.

Peter Thorogood and Roger Linton at work in the Library of St Mary’s House, Bramber

Their different gifts have blessed St Mary’s. Peter brought his experience at the British Council and his talents as a writer and researcher to the task of preserving St Mary’s. Roger, with a background in design seeded at the Royal College of Art, brought his skills as a conservator and set about restoring the property and designing the gardens. Peter’s love of music and theatre are given expression in the program of concerts and theatre which are also at the heart of St Mary’s life.

The house we see today incorporates the surviving wing from the late 15th century when William of Waynflete, the Bishop of Winchester, built a new Chapel House around a galleried courtyard. The house is a good example of the use of close set vertical timbers known as close studding which became widespread in Sussex at that time. The house would have originally welcomed pilgrims.

The Painted Room with trompe l’oeil panels which are believed to date from Tudor times

Although there is a grandeur to this wonderful old house it is very much a home informed by the passions and interests of Peter Thorogood and Roger Linton. The collections and furniture speak of their lives, families and interests. I discover them at work in the Library. They tell me about the continuing challenges of restoring and preserving this important landmark in the history of Sussex. We walk along the landing as they speak passionately about the history of the house. I am always delighted by the Painted Room with its trompe l’oeil panels. Peter explains that they are thought to date from Tudor times. The panels have beautifully painted landscapes and sea-battle vignettes.

Over the years they have inspired a team of volunteers and friends to join them. Peter and Roger have a deep sense of dedication to this place and their vision to share St Mary’s with all of us. The care of St Mary’s has become a way of life for them and they deserve our thanks.

Whether you are visiting for the first time or returning to an old friend, as I often do, St Mary’s has a particular gift of taking us out of the busyness of our own lives and allowing us to see ourselves in that broad procession of human history of which Sussex has so often been at the centre. St Mary’s House and Gardens are open to the public for the 2017 season. For further details of opening times, concerts and events visit www.stmarysbramber.co.uk.

By Rupert Toovey, a senior director of Toovey’s, the leading fine art auction house in West Sussex, based on the A24 at Washington. Originally published in the West Sussex Gazette.

Coins, a Rising Market

A cased George VI gold four-coin specimen set, 1937, comprising a five pounds, two pounds, a sovereign and a half-sovereign

The field of coin collecting brings together social, political and economic history with art and culture. Coins have been collected since Roman times and provide a tangible link to our past, present and future.

Coins have often been crafted by the finest engravers and sculptors of their time and are frequently works of art in their own right.

A William IV Crown, 1831, 'W.W.' on truncation of bust — A William IV Crown, 1831, ‘W.W.’ on truncation of bust

Whilst rarity is important to the value of any particular coin it is condition which is of overriding significance in establishing values. There is an enormous disparity between the price of a worn example of a coin compared to one in extremely fine or uncirculated condition. This is apparent in the prices realised by the exceptional George VI gold four-coin specimen set from 1937 and the William IV Crown from 1831 which made £8500 and £6000 respectively at Toovey’s specialist coin sales.

A Saxon penny from the Steyning mint, struck in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)

Sharper coins were produced by the process of milling coins with dies mounted onto a screw press. This can be seen by comparing the handmade Charles I gold Unite with the later coins illustrated. The Unite was a 17th century gold coin worth twenty shillings or one pound but this example sold recently at auction for £1600. The difficulties of manufacturing blanks to a uniform weight ensured that coins continued to be made by hand until the Restoration in 1660. Charles II brought the Roettiers brothers with their improved screw press from Holland to London. The first English coins made by this method for circulation were the 1662 silver Crowns.

As a general rule coins should never be cleaned without seeking expert advice. Silver and copper coins can appear to be tarnished but this patina is prized by collectors.

Collectors quickly develop an understanding of condition and quality. As they handle and inspect different examples their understanding and eye tone.

There are many fields to capture the attention of collectors. Some will collect coins from a particular country, others will focus on a specific type of coin like Crowns, or a period. Many are attracted by collecting coins made from precious metals.

I love to imagine who might have held the coins which come to auction and what points of history they have encountered.

With such breadth of interest, price and quality coins have a growing following and remain one of the most buoyant collectors’ markets.

By Rupert Toovey, a senior director of Toovey’s, the leading fine art auction house in West Sussex, based on the A24 at Washington. Originally published in the West Sussex Gazette.

Saxon Steyning

Late-medieval buildings in Church Street, Steyning following the earlier Saxon tradition

Sussex, her towns, ports and villages, were at the heart of the Saxon Kingdom of Wessex.

In my imagination I can picture wooden Saxon houses flanking the old Roman streets of Chichester, the earlier pavements covered by grass. By the late 6th and early 7th centuries Steyning, Lewes, Hastings and Pevensey had developed from their farming origins into towns of craftsmen and traders. By the 10th century all these towns had mints producing coinage which is evidence of an established urban economy. A mint was recorded at Steyning at the end of King Canute’s (1016-1035) reign, and was perhaps the successor to the mints of Burpham and Cissbury.

The penny illustrated dates from the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042 – 1066) and is an example of Saxon coins from the Steyning mint. Coins are remarkable in their ability to provide a tangible connection with our past. Edward the Confessor, also known as Saint Edward the Confessor, was amongst the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England, and was the last king of the House of Wessex.

Saxon Cottage which actually dates from c.1550

Many antiquarians argue that where buildings of a varied type, arranged in close proximity to one another along the main street of a town or village are found they are often following a tradition dating back to Saxon times. This would certainly appear to be the case at Steyning. Saxon Cottage in Church Street actually dates from c.1550 but its name perhaps hints at an earlier structure on the site now lost. The town was located on the River Adur and is generally believed by historians to have been one of the most important ports in Saxon times.

The Parish Church of St Andrew and St Cuthman, Steyning

The current parish church of St Andrew and St Cuthman has Saxon origins and replaced a timber structure built by St Cuthman. Inside, in the south aisle, alongside the fine Norman arcading, is an arch exquisitely carved with fabulous beasts. Contemporary historians are increasingly of the view that this arch dates from the late Saxon renaissance which took place during the reign of King Canute. The Saxon St Cuthman and Aethelwulf (839-858 are both said to have been buried there). Aethelwulf was father of King Alfred.

Today Steyning with her fine church, architecture and Museum connects us with our past. The Sussex Produce Company and the wonderful Steyning Bookshop along with a rich array of other independent retailers, restaurants and tea rooms maintain the vibrant tradition of this ancient and important town. The perfect place to visit as spring returns to Sussex!

By Rupert Toovey, a senior director of Toovey’s, the leading fine art auction house in West Sussex, based on the A24 at Washington. Originally published in the West Sussex Gazette.

Rudgwick Artist, Dennis Roxby Bott

‘Dennis Roxby Bott, RWS: A Showcase’ is a charming exhibition of some fifty watercolours by this respected local artist. The show runs for just two more weeks at the Horsham Museum & Art Gallery.

Dennis is a member of the Royal Watercolour Society which was founded in 1804. It is the oldest watercolour society in the world. It remains an artist led society made up of an elected membership. Dennis has received commissions from the National Trust, the Towner Gallery, Eastbourne and Hove Museum. His work can even be seen in the wardroom of the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Dennis Roxby Bott ‘The Kiosk, Hove’, watercolour

Dennis Roxby Bott was born in London 1948 and lives in Rudgwick, near Horsham, West Sussex. He studied at Colchester School of Art, Norwich School of Art and Keswick Hall, Norwich.

Exhibition curator, Jeremy Knight is delighted with the show which has been well received by visitors. He comments “Dennis displays a mastery of the brush and pallet and also has an ability to see and record minute detail.”

Jeremy continues “Architecture and the man made environment are the inspiration for many of Dennis’ paintings. Several of the watercolours in the exhibition depict Brighton and Venice. These subjects really suit his keen eye for perspective and detail.”

Dennis Roxby Bott ‘The Steps, Hove’, watercolour

There is a firmness of line in Dennis Roxby Bott’s paintings which lend them a graphic quality. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that his work has been reproduced as illustrations in books and as cards. In addition he has held exhibitions at galleries across England and is a regular exhibitor at the Royal Watercolour Society spring and autumn exhibitions at the Bankside Gallery, London.

Over the centuries Britain’s artists have been inspired by its landscape, history, architecture and people which continue to provide rich opportunities for artistic exploration. Dennis Roxby Bott’s work is in this tradition.

Exhibitions like this would not be possible without the Horsham District Council’s understanding of the importance of art and heritage to the identity and economy of Horsham and the broader district. Jonathan Chowen, Horsham District Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, and his team are deserving of our thanks for their continued long term support of the Horsham Museum & Art Gallery.

‘Dennis Roxby Bott, RWS: A Showcase’ is in its final fortnight and runs until 6th May 2017 at the Horsham Museum & Art Gallery, Causeway, Horsham, RH12 1HE. Admission is free. For more information visit horshammuseum.org or telephone 01403 254959.

By Rupert Toovey, a senior director of Toovey’s, the leading fine art auction house in West Sussex, based on the A24 at Washington. Originally published in the West Sussex Gazette.