"The Man with the Map" - the rescue of a well known portrait

Post date: Dec 06, 2013 11:16:57 AM

On 21st November 2013 I received this message from John Nicholsons Fine Art Auction:

Dear Mr Dyer,

I have left a message on the Huyton Hill School blog regarding a work by Claude Harrison which is coming up for sale in our auction today (21st November 2013). I am sorry for the late notice of this sale but thought I would notify you as I see an image of this work on your school website.

Lot 1370: Claude William Harrison

The Man with the Map, a Portrait of Hubert D Butler

Oil on board

signed and dated 1957 and inscribed on reverse

26.25 x 28.25"

£600-£800

If you wish to see more details you can go to: http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/john-nicholson/catalogue-id-2893473

Yours sincerely

John NIcholsons Fine Art Auction

John Mott, in Denmark, also sent me an email to say he had seen a posting made by the auction house in our blog and we had a phone conversation to discuss putting in a bid. There was only one hour before the start of the auction, so a decision had to be made quickly and, with John offering to pay half, I bid £800 for the painting, this was the maximum auction room estimate.

At 4:30pm I called the auction room and to my surprise discovered I had won the bidding at £700! (plus commission and VAT). Feeling both elated and foolish I told my family about it that evening, the reaction was mixed and slightly incredulous. Then I thought of friends visiting, asking about the large painting and then saying "You paid how much to have your ex. headmaster on the wall?", but that is of course a testament to the nature of the school he ran!