His friendships went on to span the worlds of pop, art, fashion and society – from David Hockney and Cecil Beaton to Princess Margaret – and he painted portraits of many luminaries of the era including Mick Jagger.
Several works on paper dating to the 1960s – the most sought-after period among collectors of Procktor’s art – were dispersed at two auction houses last month.
At Gorringe’s (21% buyer’s premium) of Lewes in East Sussex, three watercolours bearing exhibition labels for The Redfern Gallery were offered on September 30.
Signed and dated to 1968, these 18 x 14in (46 x 36cm) works had formerly been owned by John Baddeley, a collector of Mod Brit art, and came from the same private source as a rare 1950s abstract oil by Nicolas de Stael (1914-55), which sold to a French buyer in the sale for £250,000 (See News, ATG No 2412).
Picasso Pots took £2600 against an £800-1200 estimate, while Teenager seated on a sofa made £2200 (£1000-1500) and a profile study of a young man in a blue sweater achieved £2400 (£800-1200).
Snap decision
A week before, London saleroom Roseberys (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sold The Photographer a 2ft 6in x 21in (76 x 55cm) pastel, gouache, coloured pencil work, also with a Redfern Gallery label.
It was dated to 1964, the same year Procktor was included in the first New Generation exhibition celebrating young British talent at the Whitechapel Gallery, alongside Patrick Caulfield, David Hockney and Bridget Riley. Described by the West Norwood auction house as in “excellent condition”, it made £5500, over double its top estimate.
The sale also contained a large and unusually tender oil portrait by Procktor of a woman and child from the 1970s that sold on bottom estimate for £10,000.
