A Harlequin wood carving by esteemed sculptor Ian Norbury has sold for a full price of £5,167.80 at Fellows Auctioneers. This is the highest price that artwork by this artist has achieved at auction. The item featured as Lot 629 in our Antiques, Silver & Collectables auction on Monday 5th October. After an intense bidding war including 46 bids, the item sold at approximately 5:15pm.
The Collection
The collection, including 3 other items, fetched a total of £11,739.20 in the sale. Included in the lot with the Harlequin sculpture was an oil painting entitled 'Welcome to the Paradise of Fools' and a framed and glazed watercolour depicting a jester.
A carved wooden figure modelled as Lucifer soared to sell for £2,296.80 against an estimate of £500 - £800, and a carved wooden and mixed media sculpture entitle Red Tape, depicting a metaphor of bureaucracy stifling the arts, sold for £2,233 against an estimate of £300 - £500. Rounding off the elegant items by the master carver, a Burr elm, carved line and boxwood astrological wheel sold for £2,041.60 against an estimate of £150 - £200.
Lot 629 - Ian Norbury (1948 - present) - a carved wooden figure entitled 'Harlequin Triumphant'. Together with an oil painting entitled 'Welcome to the Paradise of Fools', and a framed and glazed watercolour depicting a jester. Estimate: £1,500 - £2,500. Price realised: £5,167.80.
Lot 630 - Ian Norbury (1948 - present), 'Lucifer', a carved wooden figure modelled as Lucifer. Estimate: £500 - £800. Price realised: £2,296.80.
Lot 631 - Ian Norbury (1948 - present), 'Red Tape', a carved wooden and mixed media sculpture depicting a metaphor of bureaucracy. Estimate: £300 - £500. Price realised: £2,233.00.
Lot 632 - Ian Norbury (1948 - present) - a Burr elm, carved line and boxwood astrological wheel. Estimate: £150 - £250. Price realised: £2,041.60.
Kevin Jackson, Auctioneer and Senior Specialist from the Antiques Department at Fellows, said:
“It is a great achievement for us to realise such a good price at auction for one of Britain's foremost contemporary wood sculptors. We were delighted to watch the prices soar for these wonderful pieces.
Ian Norbury
Ian Norbury, born in 1948, has travelled the world teaching his wood carving techniques. His sought-after and compelling wood carvings are often satirical and symbolic. His work often features Harlequins as well as characters from myths and legends such as Lucifer and Icarus. The expertly-detailed carvings bear an uncanny realistic resemblance to human beings. Norbury offers teaching videos via his website.
'The Sundancer' is a carved boxwood figure modelled as a semi-naked female. She is draped in a flowing robe, wearing a fine gold neck chain, set with a single garnet cabochon, with her arms raised above her head and holding an agate disc, upon a yew wood column base.
Sold for £3,250.00 in the Antiques & Collectables auction on 15th June 2022.
Antiques, Fine Art & Collectables | Wednesday 25th September 2024
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