Lyon & Turnbull

Sale of works owned by the Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham reflects strong connections with other St Ives artists.

Ever since the auction record for David Jagger (1891-1958) was more than doubled six years ago by the striking portrait The Conscientious Objector, works by the elusive artist have been a highly valuable proposition.

Few lots in the Design since 1860 sale held by Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh were more admired than a series of Art Nouveau pencil and watercolour jewellery drawings by Frances Macdonald McNair (1873-1921).

Connecting two of Britain’s leading 20th century female artists, a pencil drawing by Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-75) given to Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004) as a wedding present was the highlight of Lyon & Turnbull’s recent auction of works from the latter’s collection.

William De Morgan considered pieces from the Moonlight and Sunset Suite made in the early 1890s to be his very best work.

Among the Scottish pictures catching the eye at Lyon & Turnbull’s (25% buyer’s premium) sale of contents from Lowood House near Melrose was a half-length portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Scottish Colourist Samuel John Peploe (1871-1935), Lyon & Turnbull’s sale of Scottish Paintings & Sculpture auction on December 9 will have a special focus on the artist.

The scene on this 19in (43cm) Yongzheng famille rose dish depicts the Daoist immortal Magu on her way to celebrate the famous peach banquet of the Queen Mother of the West, Xi Wang Mu, who rules over the garden of the peaches of longevity.

Among the highlights in terms of Mod Brit sales this autumn, Lyon & Turnbull will offer the personal collection of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004) .

An extremely rare and early Italian maiolica dish, discovered broken in pieces in a drawer, was hammered down at just over £1m at Lyon & Turnbull.

To coincide with the belated launch of 'No Time to Die', Lyon & Turnbull of Edinburgh is offering a fine selection of 007 designs as part of a specialist sale of vintage posters held in partnership with specialist Tomkinson Churcher on October 19.

Edinburgh-made clocks that predate 1700 are rare.

One of the more unusual lots that I have encountered in recent times is a piece of card bearing the only known example of Mahatma Gandhi’s fingerprints.

The rarest Scottish provincial town marks, known only from spoons and ladles, are those of Stonehaven, Ellon and Keith.

The central stone to this Art Deco seed pearl and diamond pendant is an elongated cushion-shaped pink sapphire, weighing about 25ct.

Among a glut of upcoming single-owner collections on offer from Scottish and Irish salerooms, Glasgow firm Great Western Auctions will sell items from the estate of curator, dealer and writer William ‘Bill’ Hardie (1941-2021) later this month.

Rare market appearance by a Sir Henry Raeburn work heads a special report on recent Scottish highlights

Charles Carroll’s printed copy of the Declaration of Independence – discovered earlier this year in a Scottish family home – sold at auction in Philadelphia for $3.7m (£2.85m) plus premium.