Symes sale at Bonhams

Colin Gleadell has discussed the forthcoming sale of Symes material by Bonhams ("Art Sales: the last remains of a scandal", Daily Telegraph, 28 September 2009). The sale, "The Robin Symes Collection", is due to be held in Oxford on October 7, 2009 [sale]. The sale catalogue states:

Robin Symes Ltd. is in liquidation, and the items are being sold by the liquidators who make no warranty as to title, but have been given no reason to believe that good title cannot be passed. Lots are sold strictly on this basis and, if in doubt, buyers should seek their own legal advice.

Gleadell makes an ineresting comment about this sale:

The property in the Bonhams sale is, however, undisputed, and is to be sold without a reserve price. Estimates are therefore rock bottom. The focus is on an eclectic array of art works which Symes had either in his gallery in Ormond Yard in St James’s, or in one of his homes; Bonhams is not sure. Nor does Bonhams know when or where the works were acquired. “The paperwork had all been destroyed,” says Michael Wynell-Mayow of Bonhams.

This sale does not contain antiquities (which is probably sensible given what happened in October 2008).

Antiquities collectors will be disappointed. “There are antiquities from the gallery, but we can’t touch them,” says Wynell-Mayow. Clearly ownership issues are still at play.

It is not clear what is going to happen to the antiquities from the Symes collection.