The first part of this Note refers back to Note 4 and the discussion of Lot 121 at Christie's London Sporting Art Sale held on Friday 23 May. Ben Herring's very smart painting of a tandem cocking cart on the road fetched an equally smart £82,100 (this includes the buyers premium)(estimate £40,000-£60,000). It was an exceptional painting for Ben Herring and while Sally Mitchell in her admirable Dictionary of British Equestrian Artists (published by the Antiques Collectors Club,1985; and surely ready for an update) writes that Ben's work was not of the same standard as that of his older brother, J.F. Herring Snr., in this case it came quite close. Certainly two people appreciated its quality and were prepared to go well above the estimate. The name of the 'whip' remains a mystery for the moment. The other pictures mentioned previously were the pair of Ascot paintings by Charles Cooper Henderson (Lot 59) which made a comparatively disappointing £42,500 (estimate £40,000-£60,000). The Alfred Munnings pictures had mixed fortunes with one of the hunting paintings failing to sell and the artist's study of Unsaddling at Epsom going for £300,500 which, without the buyer's premium, fell just below the lower estimate.
The evening before, the British Sporting Art Trust held a private view of the Sale combined with a reception and auction of promises. Over 200 members and their friends attended bidding for lots as diverse as a £2,500 voucher for a Stewart Parvin couture dress to two Members' Seats on the Centre Court at Wimbledon for this year's Men's Final. With such generous donors and enthusiastic buyers (and with previous donations) the 20 or so lots raised £30,000 for the Trust during an entertaining evening.
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