A series of paintings by Sir Oswald and Lady Rhoda Birley, which originally formed part of their personal collection at Charleston Manor House, sold for £117,000 at the Cheffins Fine Sale on 20th September.
The paintings on offer at Cheffins’ Cambridge-based salerooms included eight works by Sir Oswald Birley, with many depicting scenes from Charleston Manor House, including the lake, the dining room and the pond. Many of these far exceeded their pre-sale estimates, with the leading lot of the collection being The Dining Room at Charleston Manor, by Sir Oswald Birley, which sold for £33,500. This was closely followed by a portrait of Lady Rhoda Birley, by Sir Oswald Birley, which achieved £28,500 against an estimate of £10,000 – 20,000.
The Dining Room at Charleston Manor, by Sir Oswald Birley
The remaining fifteen pictures in the collection were by Lady Rhoda Birley and included a series of still lifes and a painting of Sir Winston and Lady Churchill playing cards, which achieved £13,000.
As the parents of entrepreneur Mark Birley, founder of Annabel’s Club and Harry’s Bar, and model and socialite, Maxime de la Falaise, Sir Oswald and Lady Birley were leading members of the bohemian set during the Edwardian period. Sir Oswald Birley (1880 – 1952) was one of Britain’s most admired portrait painters, and became the artist of choice for politicians, the aristocracy, Ballets Russes dancers and other leading figures from 1919 until the early 1950s. He married Rhoda Lecky Pike (1900 – 1981), in 1921, and the pair purchased Charleston Manor House in Sussex in 1931, where they established a well-known music festival and Rhoda created famous gardens along with the help of her friend, Vita Sackville-West. It was from Sussex that the Birleys became fringe members of the Bloomsbury Group.
The pictures offered at Cheffins had originally hung at Charleston Manor House, having been bought by the seller during a three-day-sale in the mid-1980s, hosted at the property. The seller, who bought Charleston Manor House itself in 1980, restored the house before it was sold on again. It is now home to India Jane Birley, granddaughter of Sir Oswald and Lady Birley.
Portrait of Lady Rhoda Birley, by Sir Oswald Birley
Brett Tryner, Director, Cheffins comments:
“The success of this collection emphasises the importance of provenance and how a connection to a well-known name can make all the difference in terms of value. While Sir Oswald Birley was one of the most highly acclaimed artists of his time, the values achieved today prove his burgeoning popularity in the market and the cachet that a society name can add. Being part of Sir Oswald and Lady Birley’s original private collection at their home in Charleston made these works even more popular within the market, with buyers joining the auction from across Europe for this collection.”
The prices reported are inclusive of buyer’s premium and VAT at (29.4%).
The Fine Sale – 20th September 2023
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA
For further information contact the Fine Art Department on 01223 213343, fine.art@cheffins.co.uk