Modern British Art

Abbott and Holder is hosting an exhibition from April 24-May 10 celebrating the work of John Sutcliffe, one of the great decorative painters and colour experts of his generation.

An early work by LS Lowry (1887-1976) first sold to the literary editor of The Manchester Guardian for £10 in 1926 and kept by his family is now estimated at £700,000-£1m in a May 1-2 auction.

One of the highest prices for a figurative work by Maxwell Ashby Armfield (1881-1972) came at an early spring sale at Plymouth Auction Rooms (20% buyer’s premium).

As readers may recall from previous articles on these pages, when it comes to the works of the great ornithological artist Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) depictions of game birds tend to be the most commercial subjects.

Local scenes by the incredibly prolific artist from the Channel Islands are favourites in today’s market

Thirty-eight lots offered in Bath included a strong array of 20th century works assembled in London

Online exhibition focuses on style and dress depicted in 20th century art often by lesser-known creators

Established in 1936, London gallery Abbott and Holder first published one of its now established ‘Lists’ in 1942. The firm now publishes these monthly, online, providing a way to introduce 100 new works of art to its existing stock.

Among the watercolours attracting interest at the earlier part of the year were four works by Lucy Elizabeth Kemp-Welch (1869-1958) that appeared at Lincoln saleroom Golding Young & Mawer (24% buyer’s premium).

Gladys Hynes (1888-1958), an overlooked Irish-British artist, pacifist, feminist and Irish Republican, will be the subject of a forthcoming book by Jennifer FitzGerald and Sean Mark and I to be published by Yale University Press in 2026.