Remembrance and Reconciliation

Watercolour and gouache of the Cenotaph by Ann Allsop dated 1943

The Jewish artist and refugee, Hans Feibusch fled persecution in Nazi Germany and found a place of refuge in England. Against the shadow of our nation’s shared and shocking experience of war across two generations he wrote in 1944 “The men who come home from the war, and all the rest of us, have seen too much horror and evil; when we close our eyes terrible sights haunt us; the world is seething with bestiality; and it is all man’s doing. Only the most profound, tragic, moving and sublime vision can redeem us. The voice of the Church should be heard loud over the thunderstorm; and the artist should be her mouth piece as of old.”

Feibusch and many other artists working in Britain during this period were seeking to give voice to hope and reconciliation

Sometimes world events can seem overwhelming and filled with evil. It can be difficult to see how we can effect any change and we can feel defeated. And yet it is vital that we strive to work for the common good in love and service to others where we stand. The more of us who set ourselves to this task, wherever we draw our inspiration from, the more we are united like the joining of dots in a dot-to-dot picture of unimaginable scale and we push evil back.

Families, communities and nations are bound together by their common stories both of joys and sorrows. We are a processional nation and one of the central markers of our year is Remembrance.

Standard bearers, Des Knight and Richard Shenton at St Mary’s, Storrington

God willing we will gather peacefully and with reverence at the Cenotaph in London and across the country to once again reflect upon the costs of defending righteousness, freedom and liberty. Giving thanks for our allies we will pray for reconciliation and peace in our time.

In churches across Britain, Europe and America the common story which unites us will be expressed in services of Remembrance and thanksgiving.

These familiar bidding words will be heard:

“We have come to remember before God those who have died for their country in the two world wars and the many conflicts of the years that have followed. Some we knew and loved: we treasure their memory still. Others are unknown to us: to their remembrance too, we give our time…With thanksgiving we recall services offered and sacrifices made…”

I hope that each of us will be able to find time in this Remembrance weekend to reflect, offering thanks and prayers for their courage and sacrifice.

Early Motoring Celebrated by The Tim Harding Collection

Jill Scott’s no.84 Riley at Brooklands in 1930

I am excited that Toovey’s are offering the second and final part of The Tim Harding Collection of Motoring Photographs at auction on Wednesday 15th November 2023.

The collection was amassed over a lifetime of collecting by the late Tim Harding – a motoring historian who had an encyclopaedic knowledge of early vehicle marques.

The collection comprises photographs in all formats from full plate to ‘box brownie’. There are over 20,000 images recording the very earliest days of motoring to the early post-war era. Most are loose but some are framed and mounted, and there are also ‘family albums’ compiled in period.

A number were taken at Brooklands, the country’s first purpose-built race track. It was constructed on the 330 estate of Hugh and Ethel Locke King at Weybridge. Work began on the famous Brooklands race track with its high speed banking in 1906. It opened on June 17th 1907.

The ‘Double Twelve’ race came about because 24 hour racing was prohibited due to noise restrictions at Brooklands. As a result the event was divided into two daylight sessions and the cars were locked up overnight.

During the summer of 1930 the Double Twelve Race at Brooklands was won by Barnato and Clement in a 6 1/2 litre Bentley with Davis and Dunfee taking second in a similar car. 3rd place went to C. R. Whitcroft and H. C. Hamilton in a privately entered Brooklands Riley. They covered 1,629.08 miles at an average speed of 69.96mph to win their class. The no.84 Riley illustrated in the photograph was driven by Mrs E. M. Scott and the man who would become her second husband, Ernest Mortimer Thomas. They finished 6th. Jill Scott, as she was known, was popular in racing circles and drove at Brooklands between 1928 and 1932. She was the first woman to complete a lap of Brooklands at an average of 120mph.

An Atalanta crossing the finishing line at the Lewes Speed Trials, Sussex

Brooklands was the only race track in the country and with the renewed interest in motor racing after the First World War local speed events were organised by small clubs. Amongst these was The Lewes Speed Trials. Just ten years after its first trials in 1924 it had grown into an important event attracting many of the top drivers of the period including Malcolm Campbell, Archie Frazer-Nash and Dick Seaman. The Atalanta crossing the finish line at Lewes evokes the heyday of this remarkable event.

The Tim Harding Collection auction catalogue will be online at tooveys.com from Saturday 5th November 2023.

The Enduring Appeal of Silver

A George III silver teapot of compressed circular form made by Robert Garrard I and hallmarked in London in 1808

Over the centuries the artistry and workmanship of silver objects has delighted connoisseurs and collectors and today it is still highly valued and fashionable.

Nevertheless, I still visit so many people across our county who have been persuaded that silver objects are only worth the value of the silver from which they are made, which is heartbreaking, and very often could not be further from the truth. The high price of silver certainly has to be taken into consideration but the maker, date, quality of design, manufacture, condition, and the rarity of the piece have a significant impact on values too. It really is weight plus artistry.

Take for example the George III teapot and pair of George III candlesticks which sold recently in Toovey’s specialist silver auctions for more than three times their scrap value.

The George III silver teapot had a beautifully conceived putto finial. The body, spout, handle and foot were profusely cast, engraved and chased with scrolling flower and leaf sprays, and with a wonderful mask to the handle. It was hallmarked in London in 1808 and made by the celebrated silversmith Robert Garrard I. In 1802 he had taken over the firm founded by George Wickes in 1722. The firm would remain in the family until 1946 specialising in elaborate domestic silver and fine jewellery. The name Garrard remained synonymous with pieces of the finest quality. The company was appointed as Crown Jewellers by Queen Victoria in 1843, a position it held until 2007. The teapot sold for £900.

A pair of early George III cast silver candlesticks by Richard Morson & Benjamin Stephenson, hallmarked in London in 1772

The pair of early George III cast silver candlesticks were made by Richard Morson & Benjamin Stephenson whose partnership was founded in 1762 and lasted until 1774. They were known for producing candlesticks and chambersticks. This pair of candlesticks were made in 1772. The elegant hexagonal shell and gadrooned edges to the feet, beneath wrythen stems and detachable nozzles, displays a real artistry and quality of craftsmanship. They realised £1600.

The market at auction for silver objects is particularly strong at the moment with people looking to buy teapots and services, candlesticks, canteens of cutlery, as well as finely worked and novelty pieces even when they are of later date.

So before you consign your silver to be melted down please ask the unbiased opinion of Toovey’s silver specialist and Director, Tom Rowsell, or you risk throwing the baby out with the bath water!

Celebrating More Than 500 Years of The English Gold Sovereign

An Elizabeth II Royal Mint proof sovereign four-coin set commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the First Gold Sovereign 1489-1989

This week I am in the company of Toovey’s Coin specialist, Mark Stonard. He shows me An Elizabeth II Royal Mint proof sovereign four-coin set which commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the First Gold Sovereign in 1489 through to 1989. The set includes examples of the whole family of Sovereign coins and includes a five pounds, a double-sovereign, a sovereign and a half-sovereign. Cased and with its certificate it has just sold in his specialist coin sale for £4600.

Mark says “In 1489 Henry VII ordered the officers of the Royal Mint to produce a new money of gold. It wasn’t the first English gold coin but it was certainly the largest and most important at that date. The coin became a symbol of stability and power and every monarch had their own versions struck up until James I in 1603.

“The Sovereign was reintroduced in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo when it was found that there was demand for a new 20 shilling gold coin. The new coin was produced in 1817. It was about half the size and weight of the first Sovereign. The reverse was decorated in relief with a depiction of St George defeating the dragon designed by Benedetto Pistrucci. He was one of the world’s most celebrated gem engravers at that time and it shows in the quality of his design. His design was used until 1825 when it was replaced by the Royal Coat of Arms. In 1871 St George appeared again but next to a shield. It wasn’t until 1887 that Pistrucci’s earlier St George design was reintroduced for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. It’s appeared on every subsequent Sovereign to the present day.”

Toovey’s coin specialist, Mark Stonard

I ask Mark if it is just the value of the gold which gave this set its value. He replies “The high gold price certainly has to be taken into consideration but condition, date, the quality of design and the rarity of the coins in question also have a significant affect on values. This set sold for almost double its bullion price.” I suggest that the value reflects weight plus artistry and Mark agrees. He continues “There is an increasing appetite amongst collectors to buy and sell their gold coins in our specialist auctions as the prices are strong but realistic.”

Whether your passion is for Saxon Sceats or a gold proof Sovereign Mark’s knowledge is extraordinary.

Chet’s Modi and NFU Mutual Celebrating Our Farming Community

Harry O’Neill ploughing with his 1963 Massey Fergusson

I caught up with Chets Modi, the Managing Partner of the Horsham, Henfield and Chichester offices of NFU Mutual at the 2023 West Grinstead Plough Match and Agricultural Society ploughing match.

Chets explained “For more than a century NFU Mutual has provided insurance to farmers, their businesses and families, and today that quality of service is available for people from all walks of life. We are a mutual owned by our customers with no shareholders which allows us to provide a very personal service with a long term view in all that we do. Our customers are members.

“The value of community was instilled in me as I grew up and I love that, through my job, I live amongst our brilliant farming community. Through our offices we bring this community together with social events and gatherings – farmers often work on their own so meeting with friends and neighbours is important and we see that as an integral part of our role. Farming sits at the heart of our business.

“I help on the committee of the West Grinstead Plough Match. It provides a great opportunity for the public to see what farming is really about.

Chets Modi of NFU at the 2023 West Grinstead Plough Match

“I’m an ambassador not just of the NFU but also of the farming community. We help to bring farmers into schools, sometimes they bring tractors, sometimes the children visit the farms. It is important that our young people know where their food comes from. As a parent I want my children to value where their food comes from and good stewardship. There’s a lot to celebrate in the diversity of approaches to farming in this part of the world.”

I commented on the significant changes in the values of art, antiques and collectors’ items in recent years and how at Toovey’s we always impress on our clients the importance of making sure that their valuations are up to date to ensure they pay the correct premiums and to be able to plan for the future. Chets replied “I agree, especially for the type of high value homes and collections we insure under our Bespoke Home Insurance policies.”

I walked out into the fields and discovered Harry O’Neill of Whitebridge Farm, Wineham, ploughing with his 1963 Massey Ferguson, proudly watched by his Dad and Grandpa. I learnt that this was only Harry’s second season competing in the West Grinstead Plough Match. He was doing a fine job. It’s exciting to see a passion for farming seeded in a younger generation.