Roseberys London’s latest Modern British & 20th Century Art auction (6^th June 2023) featured a diverse range of works by many of the world’s leading artists of the Modern and Post-War era, including works by international figures Nachum Gutman, Zhao Kailin and Raymond Ching alongside a range of Modern British artists such as Ken Kiff, Theodore Major and Dame Ethel Walker.

Please find below a selection of notable sales by William Summerfield, Roseberys’ Modern British & 20th Century Art specialist.

‘It was an excellent day of results, including an auction record for Ken Kiff. We were particularly pleased with those for the collection of Rena Behrman with all works selling and a high price for Nachum Gutman’s ‘Scene of Tiberias, c.1950.’

301: Raymond Ching, New Zealander b.1939 - Kingfisher in flight

Five different bidders on different platforms battled over Raymond Ching’s extraordinary pair of works ‘Kingfisher in flight’, with two phone bidders were eventually left before an eventual result of £18,850 premium. The works were illustrated in Peter Hansard’s ‘The Art Of Raymond Ching: Paintings And Drawings 1972-1979’ published in 1981.

451: Zhao Kailin, Chinese 1961-2023 - Waiting (Spring Wind over Last Night), 2013

Two UK bidders fought to buy Zhao Kailin’s late masterpiece ‘Waiting (Spring Wind over Last Night), 2013’, with the work finally selling for £16,250 premium. The artist died earlier in the year, so it was a fitting tribute to his legacy.

120: Nachum Gutman, Israeli 1898-1980 - Scene of Tiberias, c.1950

Nachum Gutman’s ‘Scene of Tiberias, c.1950’ led the results for the collection of Rena Behrman, selling for£13,000 premium after competitive bidding from 5 different international bidders. Other highlights were 117 Arthur Segal ‘Palma de Mallorca, 1935’ selling for £6,500 premium and 121 Yohanan Simon, ‘Two figures against a blue sky, 1958’ selling for £4,680 premium.

Rena Behrman (1909-2017) helped to aid the escape of more than 1000 Jewish refugees from Europe to Britain during the Second World War. The sale was a fitting tribute to her legacy.

Lot 387: Ken Kiff RA, British 1935-2001 – The Blue Tree, 1989-91

Ken Kiff RA’s ‘The Blue Tree, 1989-91’ sold for £11,700 premium, an auction record for the artist. First exhibited at Marlborough Gallery in 1991, this was a brilliant example of the artist’s style, with its playful sense of mysticism and deep understanding of colour. Ken Kiff was also a highly influential tutor at the Royal College of Art, teaching major figures including Tracey Emin, and was Associated Artist at the National Gallery, London from 1992-93, shortly after making this work.

Lot 150: Theodore Major, British 1908-1999 - Early Morning at Wigan

The sale also featured excellent results for Modern British artists, including 150 Theodore Major’s ‘Early Morning at Wigan’ selling for £9,425 premium and 10 Dame Ethel Walker’s ‘Portrait of a lady, looking in a mirror’ for £7,150 premium. Contemporary highlights including 391 Thérèse Oulton’s ‘Blood Stone, 1985’ selling for £3,770 premium and John Stezaker’s ‘Mask LXII, 2007’ for £3,640 premium.