On closer inspection of the photo I posted yesterday, I noticed in the background (top right) a small Terracotta sculpture bust of a young girl by Richard Garbe, that I'd bought back in about 1968-ish.
Garbe had been Head of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, and about 10 years after his death his wife was clearing out his studio via an auction house in Horsham, Sussex.
I just happened, by chance, to be walking by the saleroom as the sale was taking place, and saw the sale details outside. I popped-in, and bought just one piece. I would happily have bought EVERYTHING, but I didn't have the money. All his works, tools, and equipment, were being sold-off for 'a few quid'. It was heartbreaking.
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It was a nice piece of work, and I kept it for many years. Eventually when trying to reduce my collection, I sold it. I can't remember to whom, or even where. I think it was sold for about £150; I had bought it for either £9 or £10.
When I saw the above picture it immediately reminded me of Garbe, so I looked him up on Google, and amazingly, there it was, the very first thing I saw; my old small terracotta bust. You can imagine my surprise!
As you can probably see, it fetched £984 through Roseburys at the end of last year, and is now decorating the home of some other 'connoisseur'; and I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
Amazing the things you find on google.
As I've said many times on this page, most of my own work has been stolen at one time or other; mostly when I was a student. These days when I look at any 'Homes' related magazine, the first thing I look at are the walls; all that work must be somewhere!!!
To paraphrase Lady Bracknell - ref Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest": To lose one painting may be considered a misfortune, to have stolen a lot amounts to not quite believable.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few painters in my life, dead and alive, whose works hang in museums and others selling their oeuvres at eye watering prices - yet, as far as I know, none of their works were ever stolen or miraculously disappeared. So, maybe you should count yourself lucky that your creations were so great that art connoisseurs just couldn't help themselves and - in absence of funds - turned to thieving.
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I think the majority were stolen by lecturers when I was a student. I'd been provisionally offered a place at the RCA, so they possibly thought I was destined for great things. They were wrong!
DeleteSo plagiarism is alive and well in art schools as well as in other academic areas where student work miraculously appears as if from lecturers or supervisors!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid so. My work used to disappear over night; even quite large works. I should have installed a spy camera, but I don't think they existed then!
DeleteI prefer the look of Lady Magnon's bust to Garbe's bust.
ReplyDeleteDown boy! You'll have her blushing.
DeleteIn an art theft, my work would be left behind. Your's was worth taking.
ReplyDeleteI was very annoyed about some of the bigger works. Also I did a series of round self-portraits in the style of Rembrandt (dark moody and mysterious). I had bought 3 antique round frames, and painted the portraits to fit. They all went too.
DeleteThat is a lovely piece and it seems to have consistently increased in value. Some art is a good investment.
ReplyDeleteWhen I bought it, I just thought it was a 'nice' thing; and cheap. I never thought about it's later value, even though I knew he was a well regarded sculptor.
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