A lost landmark, psychedelic chocolate and a zebra stripe piano
June 27th, 2018
A lost landmark, psychedelic chocolate and a zebra stripe piano
AN OIL painting depicting one of Birmingham’s lost landmarks, some outrageous furniture by one of the world’s top designers and four psychedelic posters which advertised chocolate to hungry Brummies in the 1960s are all coming up for auction.
The lots sit alongside other landmark works of art including three limited edition Lowry prints in Richard Winterton Auctioneers Decorative & Design Sale on Monday, July 2, at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Fradley Park.
Man Pushing A Cart, pictured right, is an oil on canvas by Danny Howes from the markets series and is signed and titled on the back.
Birmingham-based Danny was asked to paint the wholesale markets in Birmingham prior to them moving to new premises in 2018.
His work remembers the gritty realism of the old market and should strike a chord with generations of Brummies.
“It is capturing a moment in Birmingham’s history of a landmark which should be familiar to most Brummies,” said valuer David Fergus.
“It is showing real life – a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the former wholesale market.”
A number of pieces of furniture, pictured above, by the London designer Jimmie Martin include a silver leaf zebra striped baby grand piano, pictured below.
Martin’s clients have included the likes of Madonna, Liam Gallagher, Tara Palmer Tomkinson and Pete Townsend.
Four stunning psychedelic posters advertising Cadbury’s famous Crunchie bar are also coming up for sale in a double dose of two lots.
Then a product by Fry, a series of four pop-art posters by Dan Fern and Chris McEwan were commissioned in 1969 to promote Crunchie.
The posters, pictured above, being auctioned are all 51cm tall and in good condition.
Two by Mr Fern (pictured top) are titled ‘Fire Fire Fire' and 'Crunchie The Taste Bomb'; two by Mr McEwan are of two other different designs again although both are also titled 'Crunchie The Taste Bomb'.
The works bring to mind some of the wacky psychedelic images in The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine film, which was released the previous summer.
“Although the posters have the brand name in there somewhere, the adverts are tapping into the hippie psychedelic pop culture that was prevalent at the time,” said Mr Fergus.
Mr Fern has created work for other British institutions – Royal Mail and the London Underground – and has had work exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, Japan. He also has work in the permanent collection of the V&A in London.
Mr McEwan has established a rich body of surreal illustration for an international roster of clients across the fields of publishing, animation and advertising. His work has been exhibited in Paris, London and Hamburg.
Also coming up in the Decorative & Design Sale are three limited edition signed prints by LS Lowry.
In recent months Richard Winterton Auctioneers has sold five such prints, with hammer prices reaching £2,600.
For sale in July are ‘Industrial Scene’, 'Three Men and A Cat' (pictured above) and 'The Notice Board', pictured below.
A similar copy of the latter previously sold at The Lichfield Auction House for £1,500.
Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ Decorative & Design Sale starts at noon on Monday, July 2. Viewing is on Saturday, June 30, from 9.30am-noon and on the day of sale from 8.30am.
You can also bid online here.