Made in Britain Auction At Sotheby’s Creates Ten New World Records

Sotheby’s Made in Britain sale, a dedicated auction celebrating the diversity of British art from 1900 to today has created ten new records for British Artists. . Over 30,000 people attended the viewing with strong prices achieved in both the day and evening sale sessions for works by some of the leading names of post-war British Art. The sale included the evening auction of property from legendary London restaurant The Ivy, where bidders in a packed saleroom competed to acquire a piece of history from the world renowned restaurant. Every single lot sold – a ‘white glove’ sale – and 97% of lots soared above pre-sale estimates. 

Made in Britain achieved an above-high-estimate total of £3,377,068 (est. £1,495,200 – 2,205,790), and the total achieved for The Ivy auction to benefit Child Bereavement UK was £1,051,125, almost three times the pre-sale high estimate (est. £249,950 – 380,240). Attracting more than 850 participants from 34 countries spread across four continents, as many as 37% of participants in the Made in Britain auction were first-time buyers at Sotheby’s, drawn to the diverse offering of artistic media ranging from £80 – 180,000 by some of Britains greatest artists, and the highly sought-after items from The Ivy, which is currently undergoing renovation prior to its reopening in May 2015.

Richard Caring commented: “The Ivy is an iconic restaurant with 98 years of history and I’m so pleased that supporting Child Bereavement UK – a fantastic charity that does amazing work – is part of its history. We are delighted to have been able to support them.”

Julia Samuel, Trustee and Founder Patron of Child Bereavement UK, said: “All of us at Child Bereavement UK are absolutely delighted and hugely grateful for the transformational donation that tonight’s auction at Sotheby’s has enabled, which will have a profound impact on the lives of bereaved families throughout the UK. I would particularly like to acknowledge Richard and Jackie Caring’s extraordinary philanthropic support.”

Fernando Peire, Director of The Ivy commented: “I am thrilled that through The Ivy’s sale of art and artefacts we were able to raise such a significant sum to benefit Child Bereavement UK. On the brink of the restaurant’s centenary, the extraordinary interest raised by the Sotheby’s auction underscores the public’s enormous affection for The Ivy and its Private Dining Room. We very much hope that the items sold tonight will become talking points in the homes for which they are destined – for at least another hundred years.”

Artist Records Created

Neil Libbert, Francis Bacon, on his 80th birthday, 1989, £4,750 (est. £700-1,000) , Grace Robertson, Frustration, Petticoat Lane, London, 1948, £2,000 (est. £600-800) , Bryan Kneale, Carrick 1981, £5,250 (est. £1,500-2,000) , Jacob Bornfriend, Still Life, £21,250 (est. £1,000-1,500) , Janet Leach, An Impressive Vase, £2,750 (est. £500-700) , Peter Stroud, Two at the Centre, £6,875 (est. £2,000-3,000) , Alan Peters, Low Table, 1990, £7,500 (est. £600-800) , Mo McDermott, Trees, £2,625 (est. £800-1,100)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ARTWORKS THAT ADORNED THE IVY’S WALLS 

The highest price for a work displayed in the restaurant was for Bridget Riley’s The Ivy Painting which sold for £413,000 (est. £120,000 – 180,000), Howard Hodgkin’s Ivy painting sold, to a round of applause, for £106,250 (est. £6,000 – 8,000) – A RECORD PRICE FOR A WORK ON PAPER BY THE ARTIST, Maggi Hambling’s painting George Always I soared above estimate and sold for £23,125 (est. £4,000 – 6,000) – AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST, Mural for The Ivy by Allen Jones doubled high estimate and sells for £137,000 (est. £40,000 – 60,000), Sebastian Horsley’s Flowers of Evil Triptych sold for £13,750 (est. £1,500-2,500) – RECORD PRICE FOR THE ARTIST, David Bailey, Jeremy and Chris sold for £25,000 (est. £1,000-2,000) – RECORD PRICE FOR A PAINTING BY THE ARTIST

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