AN AUCTION DUEL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 17

AN AUCTION DUEL

PORTRAIT FOUND IN ATTIC

A' begrimed and torn canvas, whicft had been relegated to an attic in the house at Nonsuch Park, Cheam, Surrey, was sold recently for 12,100 guineas, after lively bidding by art dealers, says the "Daily Telegraph."

Another auction romance concerning portraits by Frans Hals was thus re» vealed.

Although the catalogue contained no mention of the name of Hals, and the entry stood briefly as: "Portrait of a man in black coat and white, ruffle," the discerning sleuths who'- had scented possibilities and had taken the trouble to go down' to Cheam on the view days, turned up in force. All "played ostrich" until the bidding began in earnest. Then it was seen that the representatives of most of the leading art firms had "got wind" ot the prize, and they took off the gloves for a fight to a finish. , ' Although Mr. Alfred Vicars (of the art firm of Vicars Brothers) fought manfully throughout, he had to give in after making his final effort at 12,000 guineas, and the picture was secured by Mr. Arthur de Casseres. Nonsuch, where the sale took place, with its 100 acres ■ 'of park, has been bought from the: trustees of the Walker family for the "Green Belt" of London. ■ :

In the dark days of neglect a noble Hals portrait could be picked up for a few pounds. Indeed, one- such which, had been bought in the Strand in 1884 for a five-pound note—with a still-life subject thrown in—realised £9009 when Lord Glanusk sent it to Sotheby's in 1913.

In the famous Andrew. Mellon collection there is a Hals portrait of his friend the painter, Nicholas Berchem, valued at £34,000. Yet when it was sold in London eighteen years ago it was described as a portrait of the artist by Nicholas Berchem. This, however, did not confuse the experts, who saw the masterful. brushwork of. Hals "staring them in the face,"' and the bidding raced to £12,000.