Firstly, Martin Millard gives us his top three pieces from the upcoming sale.
Lot 84 – Macro gauze wall hanging by Peter Collingwood, estimate £1,500 - £2,500
"I love the notion of creating something very precise and very modern using the most traditional of materials and methods. Collingwood’s macrogauze hangings were created using traditional weaving looms that he meticulously disassembled and rebuilt, modifying them in order to turn his visions into a reality. It is rare to find a work of art, particularly a textile, that is so equally at home in either a traditional or a modern interior."
Lot 59 – five ‘Morandi’ bottle vases by Akiko Hirai, estimate £1,200 - £1,800
"I also love lot 59, the five Morandi bottle vases by the contemporary Japanese potter Akiko Hirai, again their simplicity of form could so easily work in almost any interior, and the subtlety of the glazes is stunning."
Lots 193 – 198 – ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ original World War II propaganda posters, estimates between £800 and £2,500
"My last pick would be one of the original ‘Keep Calm’ posters, whilst it may be one of the most widely known and arguably over-used mottos of the past twenty years, these are the originals – printed in case of a German Invasion but never used and later pulped as part of the war effort. I appreciate that the casual observer probably wouldn’t appreciate the difference, but those who know, know! These are seriously rare, and very very smart!"
Moving onto Brett Tryner, his top lots are as follows.
Lot 208 – Edward Le Bas ‘A woman in a blue dress’ – estimate £400 - £600
"This picture by Edward Le Bas is very much in the mannner of Augustus John and typifies the style of painting which was so popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s. It has a stunning colour palette with the blue of the dress contrasting with the sandy background and could provide a lovely focal point for any room."
Lot 220 – Harold Knight ‘A Fisherwoman’ – estimate £800 - £1200
"This is a masterful execution of a fisherwoman in watercolour and has an exceptional use of light. The picture goes to show how Harold Knight was just as accomplished as his much more famous wife, Dame Laura Knight."
Lot 308 – Rupert Shephard ‘Tobacco Plants, Oakley Gardens’ – estimate £400 - £600
"This is a simply beautiful, tranquil picture of a Chelsea garden by Rupert Shephard. It has an amazing sense of calm, even though it was painted only a year after the end of the Second World War. Rupert Shephard is not a particularly well-known artist, but this picture goes to show he was just as skilled as some of his more famous contemporaries."
Finally, Gabrielle Downie gives us her top picks here:
Lot 293 - Antoli Nasedkin ‘Wounded Soldier’ – estimate £300 - £500
"I love the intensity of this portrait. Through his evocative use of colour, rough application of paint, and the weary, yet defiant, expression of the sitter, Nasedkin has created an intelligent and powerful work that articulates the horror of war, whilst simultaneously expressing the physical and psychological life of the sitter."
Lot 271 - Tirzah Garwood ‘Train Journey’ – estimate £2,500 - £4,000
"This wood engraving is typical of Garwood’s work: acutely observed, optically inventive, and tremendously skilful. Believed to be Garwood herself, the young woman clutching her bag invites the viewer into the familiar scene, effectively allowing us to become the sixth passenger and share in her experience."
Lot 221 - John Nash - 'The Stubble Field' - estimate £3,000 - £5,000
"The joy of painting and the joy of the British countryside converge in this vibrant watercolour. Standing in startling contrast to his wartime landscapes, which depict a hostile, scarred, and angular landscape, in this piece, through his characteristic palette and wonderfully dynamic lines, Nash encourages us to explore and celebrate the quiet beauty of the countryside around us."
To view the full catalogue for The Art and Design Sale, click here.