Watercolour and gouache triptych design by John Piper for the Oundle chapel windows, estimate £8000-12,000 at Parker Fine Art Auctions.
1. John Piper window designs
Oundle chapel was consecrated in 1923 as a memorial to Oundle school old boys who had died in the First World War. To celebrate the Northamptonshire school’s quarter centenary in 1956, John Piper (1903-92) was commissioned to design a series of stained glass windows for the apse.
These windows are famous for being the first collaboration between the artists John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens – the man who ‘translated’ Piper’s designs to the medium of stained glass. Their partnership of 30 years produced some of the most important and influential stained glass in this country.
Piper designed over 60 stained glass windows. The Oundle windows portray Christ in nine forms. The central figure of each one is a green man, influenced by Picasso’s paintings and French medieval stained glass and sculptures.
It took three years to make the windows and they were dedicated by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1956.
Soon afterwards, the architect Basil Spence went to see them and decided to commission Piper and Reyntiens to produce a huge baptistry window for his cathedral in Coventry.
On April 6 Parker Fine Art Auctions in Farnham, Surrey, is offering a watercolour and gouache triptych design by Piper for the Oundle windows, measuring overall 17 x 13.5in (43 x 34.5cm). Estimate £8000-12,000.
2. Micromosaic panel
Early 19th century Italian micromosaic panel, estimate £5000-7000 at Elstob & Elstob.
This large early 19th century Italian micromosaic panel goes under the hammer at Elstob & Elstob’s Antiques sale in Ripon on April 5.
Measuring 9 x 12in (23 by 30cm), the finely detailed panel depicts the familiar Grand Tour scene of the Temple of Vesta. It comes from a private collection in Southport and carries a guide of £5000-7000.
3. Glasgow School wall sconce
Glasgow School brass wall sconce, estimate £400-600 at Huntly Auctions.
The sale at Huntly Auctions in Aberdeenshire on April 9 includes this Glasgow School brass wall sconce worked with a peacock in the manner of Margaret Gilmour (1863-1942).
Measuring 2ft 5in (72cm) high, it is estimated at £400-600.
4. Pair of early George III giltwood mirrors.
Pair of early George III giltwood mirrors, estimate £8000-12,000 at Woolley & Wallis.
The sale of Furniture, Works of Art and Clocks at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury on April 4-5 includes, estimated at £8000-12,000, this pair of early George III giltwood mirrors.
Made c.1755-60 with later plates, the pair was purchased by the vendor’s family from Fernandes & Marche Antiques in London in 1969 for £1225.
5. David Roberts’ Holy Land picture
Painting from David Roberts’ famous Holy Land series, estimate £20,000-30,000 at Sworders.
Sworders’ sale of Old Masters, British and European Art on April 4 features some very fine English watercolours from an English private collection.
They include a picture from David Roberts’ famous The Holy Land series that is guided at £20,000-30,000.
Roberts’ watercolour of Jaffa is dated March 26, 1839, and was probably painted on the spot. Depicting the ancient city port of Judea – where Noah is said to have built the ark – it features the colourful costumes, the exotic animals and the impressive architecture and ancient monuments that made the region so appealing to Western eyes.
Roberts made several views of Jaffa, two of which were converted into lithographs for his monumental three-volume publishing project The Holy Land.
