DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73058#0136
Bartolo^i and his VBorks.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Art Auction Rooms.
/°/™ "e principal London fine-art auction rooms, where collec-
tions of old prints are disposed of during the season, are
ethose of Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods, King Street, St. James's ; Messrs.
Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, Wellington Street, Strand; Messrs. Puttick & Simpson,
Leicester Square; Messrs. Phillips & Son, of New Bond Street; and Messrs. Foster,
Pall Mall. These are all well known and old established rooms, and for our purpose
may stand in the order given. The collector looks to these sources for a steady supply,
sales of prints being held at frequent intervals throughout the season. Messrs. Puttick
& Simpson, while at times having valuable collections of prints passing through their
hands, often hold sales consisting of the stock of retired or defunct dealers, the refuse and
duplicates of collectors, and odd miscellaneous lots which appear to gravitate naturally
toward their rooms for disposal. The prints at these sales are very " mixed"; good, bad,
and indifferent examples, speculative lots, and parcels of what wealthy collectors would
term " rubbish," being offered in one day. They are, however, to the beginner all the more
worthy of careful attention, prizes being frequently drawn in the lottery of such a mixture.
But the print sales held by Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, are looked to by
collectors as the great source for the increase of their treasures, and by far the largest
proportion of fine collections brought to the hammer pass through the hands of this firm.
Print sales at Christie's well-known rooms are not so frequent as at Sotheby's, but, when
they do occur, usually embrace fine and costly examples, both modern and ancient. The
other firms mentioned are more eminent in other directions, print sales at their rooms
being rather the exception than the rule.
Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods.—The celebrated fine-art auction rooms of
Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods were established in 1767, by Mr. James Christie,* in
* The writer may be excused for mentioning here an incident in connection with a celebrated collection of pictures,
valued by Mr. Christie, which before finding a permanent resting-place was submerged in Russian waters by the sinking
IIO of
CHAPTER XXVII.
Art Auction Rooms.
/°/™ "e principal London fine-art auction rooms, where collec-
tions of old prints are disposed of during the season, are
ethose of Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods, King Street, St. James's ; Messrs.
Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, Wellington Street, Strand; Messrs. Puttick & Simpson,
Leicester Square; Messrs. Phillips & Son, of New Bond Street; and Messrs. Foster,
Pall Mall. These are all well known and old established rooms, and for our purpose
may stand in the order given. The collector looks to these sources for a steady supply,
sales of prints being held at frequent intervals throughout the season. Messrs. Puttick
& Simpson, while at times having valuable collections of prints passing through their
hands, often hold sales consisting of the stock of retired or defunct dealers, the refuse and
duplicates of collectors, and odd miscellaneous lots which appear to gravitate naturally
toward their rooms for disposal. The prints at these sales are very " mixed"; good, bad,
and indifferent examples, speculative lots, and parcels of what wealthy collectors would
term " rubbish," being offered in one day. They are, however, to the beginner all the more
worthy of careful attention, prizes being frequently drawn in the lottery of such a mixture.
But the print sales held by Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, are looked to by
collectors as the great source for the increase of their treasures, and by far the largest
proportion of fine collections brought to the hammer pass through the hands of this firm.
Print sales at Christie's well-known rooms are not so frequent as at Sotheby's, but, when
they do occur, usually embrace fine and costly examples, both modern and ancient. The
other firms mentioned are more eminent in other directions, print sales at their rooms
being rather the exception than the rule.
Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods.—The celebrated fine-art auction rooms of
Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods were established in 1767, by Mr. James Christie,* in
* The writer may be excused for mentioning here an incident in connection with a celebrated collection of pictures,
valued by Mr. Christie, which before finding a permanent resting-place was submerged in Russian waters by the sinking
IIO of