24th Sep, 2025 10:00
Ken Bolan | Nature Follows Form
▲ Dame Elisabeth Frink CH RA (1930-1993)
Aesop's Fables: 'The Monkey and The Dolphin', a rare and unique mosaic panel, once the base of the swimming pool at Woolland House, mounted and on a wood support,
434.5cm wide
19cm deep
309cm high
A remarkable and unique mosaic panel by renowned British sculptor Dame Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993) once formed a striking centrepiece in the swimming pool at Woolland House, her country estate in Dorset. Now rediscovered and restored, The Monkey and the Dolphin - inspired by the ancient Aesop fable - stands as a singular example of Frink’s exploration of mosaic as a medium, and is believed to be the only work of its kind in her oeuvre.
Ken first encountered Frink, known to friends as ‘Lis’, in 1986, when she visited his shop in Bath. ‘At that time, I had just begun buying Swedish painted furniture, which she absolutely adored,’ he recalls. ‘Over the next few months, after she discovered my old brewery showroom in Gillingham, she bought numerous pieces, and we developed a close friendship.’ Around this time, Lis was creating the most extraordinary mosaic for her swimming pool, inspired by Aesop’s fable of The Monkey and the Dolphin (the moral of which is that dishonesty will eventually be exposed and lead to consequences). The completed mosaic was created entirely by Lis, solely carrying out all the work herself, and is well documented.
Ken was once again at Woolland in 2020, when he purchased the mosaic from the then owners. Overthe coming months, the mosaic was carefully removed from the swimming pool, expertly conserved and mounted on to a custom-made aluminium framework. The mosaic measures an impressive 4.34 by 3.09 metres and, due to the mounting, can either be reinstalled as a functioning pool mosaic or displayed upright as a free-standing work.
‘It’s all original,’ Ken emphasises. ‘All the work you see is her work. We haven’t had to rebuild any of it.’
Monumental in scale and deeply personal in provenance, The Monkey and the Dolphin represents not only a rare artistic departure for Frink but also one of the largest single works she ever produced. This significant piece leads the sale with an estimate of £300,000–500,000, offering collectors and institutions an extraordinary opportunity to acquire a major - and virtually unknown - work by one of Britain’s most celebrated 20th-century sculptors.
£300,000 - £500,000
Buyer's premium: 30.00% (inclusive of VAT, where applicable)
Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot
Condition Report
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Auction: Ken Bolan | Nature Follows Form, 24th Sep, 2025
Few dealers in the last fifty years have had an eye as instinctive or a career as colourful as Ken Bolan. From a young boy gazing longingly through the window of a Berkshire antiques shop, to an international tastemaker with a reputation for style, boldness and flair, Ken’s journey through the art and antiques world has been one of passion, adventure, and unerring intuition.
This auction features a distinctive collection of traditional, modern and contemporary furniture, impressive bronzes, lighting and works of art, including a remarkable mosaic panel by celebrated British sculptor Dame Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993), a striking centrepiece that was once at home in her swimming pool at Woolland House in Dorset.
The sale also boasts a captivating collection of jewellery conceived and created by Ken in collaboration with Swiss designer Marinette Domon, with every piece meticulously crafted in Switzerland by master jeweller Denis Domon, working from his atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Viewing
Viewing
Viewing will be held at The Studio, Berrywood Lane, Donhead St Mary, Shaftsbury, Dorset SP7 9DH as follows:
Saturday 20 September, 10am - 4pm
Sunday 21 September, 10am - 4pm
Monday 22 September, 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 23 September, 10am - 4pm
Please note that no lots will be available to view at the Stansted Mountfitchet saleroom, either before or during the sale.
Directions From London to The Studio
M3 and A303 west | A350 to Shaftsbury | Follow signs to Donhead St Mary
what3words: ///aimlessly.prominent.stones
Parking is available on-site at the Studio. Please note some areas may prove difficult for those with mobility issues.
Please be aware that the roads and lanes around Donhead St Mary are narrow.
Enquiries
Saturday 20 September - Friday 3 October:
T The Ken Bolan Studio 01747 828047
Outside of these dates:
T 01279 817778 E privatecollections@sworder.co.uk
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