Early Spring, Upper Horning, one of the painter’s Norfolk views, starred in a sale of pictures at Mallams (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Oxford on February 27. With a gallery label for P&D Colnaghi & Co, the 10 x 13in (25 x 34cm) oil on board took £11,000 against an appealing £4000-6000 guide.
Such views have risen in value over the years. A painting – possibly the same – bearing an identical title, in the same size and medium, sold at Christie’s London in 1981 for £2800.
Seago, who lived at Dutch House in nearby Ludham, extensively painted the surrounding marshlands, where his ashes were scattered when he died.
At auction, his most expensive local scenes include Ludham Marshes from Upper Horning, sold at Christie’s in London in 2014 for a premium-inclusive £37,500. The painting had belonged to the Queen Mother’s steward, William Tallon.
The Mallams sale also achieved £1500 (against a £700-900 guide) for a 13 x 20in (34 x 50cm) oil by Modern British artist Carel Weight (1907-97), which formed part of a series of pictures depicting the North Yorkshire stately home, Grantley Hall, painted between 1950-52.
