Backed by local financiers, Scotland’s oldest auction house, Lyon & Turnbull, re-opened for business at their new premises on Broughton Place on December 14 and quickly established a saleroom record for a picture by Alberto Morocco when a fruit still life sold to an overseas collector at £20,000. A Gillow set of 12 George III mahogany dining chairs from Thirlestane Castle sold to an English collector at £36,000, but in terms of value, over half the lots sold to Scottish private buyers. At Phillips on December 3, the English trade paid £82,000 for St Jacques Studio by John Fergusson, but at Shapes on November 27, it was a local collector who paid £17,500 for Phoebe Traquair’s Psyche Chalice.
Scottish delight
UK: THE Scottish art market has been given a boost of confidence over the past few weeks by the strong performance of three sales in Edinburgh, that turned over £1.5m of antiques from Scottish sources.
