This auction features an extraordinary number of master works by major British and European artists, either unseen on the open market for several decades or only recently rediscovered.

Lot 27: Alexandra Exter, Ukrainian/French 1882-1949 - Musiciens, 1935-38

Central to this sale is Alexandra Exter’s, ‘Musiciens, c.1935-38’, made at the height of her career when the artist was exhibiting widely internationally. This painting has been in a private collection of nearly 30 years and we are extremely fortunate to be selling it at the time of the ground-breaking touring exhibition ‘In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900–1930s’.

Lot 139: Robert Colquhoun, British 1914-1962 - Head of Boy, c.1950

Another exceptional highlight will be ‘Head of Boy’ by Robert Colquhoun. Originally owned by a friend and colleague of the artist, this work has not been seen publicly since the 1950s. A true masterpiece of Post-War British painting.

Lot 78: Ernest H. Shepard MC OBE, British 1879-1976

Lot 77: Attributed to Beatrix Potter, British 1866-1943

We are very pleased to be selling the collection of Elaine Moss (1924-2020), a highly important figure in children's books. Her collection includes wonderful pieces by Beatrix Potter (lot 77) and one of Ernest H. Shepherd’s iconic illustrations for Winnie-the-Pooh (lot 78).

Lot 34: Charles Ginner ARA CBE, British 1878-1952 - The Dome, Brompton Oratory, 1936

We will also be selling works from the estate of an important UK collection that includes works by Béla Kádár (lot 25) and Charles Ginner (lot 34) and works from the collection of Iris Hughes (1915-2005), which includes major works by Georges Rouault (lot 8) and Claude Venard (lot 111).

Other European highlights include a recently rediscovered paintings from the 1930s by Irish artist John Luke (lot 20) and a pastel of the artist’s daughter by Impressionist master Armand Guillaumin (lot 2) from the 1890s that was authenticated earlier this year.

Lot 343: Shani Rhys James, British b.1953 - Little Head, 2005

The sale also includes a wonderful selection of artist associated with Welsh Art, including Shani Rhys James (lot 343), Gwilym Prichard (lots 236-239), Josef Herman (lots 142-149) and an early landscape by Sir Kyffin Williams (lot 235).

There are also great works by the most important British artists of the 20^th century, such as Dame Ethel Walker (lots 9-12), Augustus John (lots 6-7), Sandra Blow (lot 185), Margaret Mellis (lot 181), a rare work from the 1940s by Kenneth Armitage (lot 136) and a sensational 1950s landscape by Alan Reynolds (lot 150).