Modern & Contemporary Art | The Colman Collection

Sir Timothy James Alan Colman (1929-2021) of Bixley Manor was married to Lady Mary Colman (née Bowes-Lyon), niece of the Queen Mother. He was the great-grandson of Jeremiah James Colman (1830-98), the man who turned Colman’s Mustard into an international brand. Sir Timothy was a director of Eastern Counties Newspapers and Chairman of the group until 1996. He was a key supporter of the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia and aided its establishment in 1978.

His passion for his home county of Norfolk is clear in his collecting habits as many East Anglian artists and scenes are featured. Particularly delightful are Elaine Pamphilon’s ‘Salthouse’, Brian Lewis’s entertaining scene of sailors at Blakeney and Lionel Bulmer’s painting of beach-goers.

^{Lionel Bulmer (1919-1992) 'Figures and Deck Chairs', oil on canvas laid on board. £300-400}

Also included in the collection are five John Piper prints with three depicting Norfolk scenes Hautbois Church, Little Cressingham and Hales Norfolk. Illustrated here is the East Devon church of Ottery St Mary.

^{John Piper CH (1903-1992) 'Ottery St Mary', (Levinson 402), screenprint in colours. £700-1000} 

Beyond Sir Timothy’s Modern British collecting, the auction opens with Georges Braque’s aquatint of soaring and swooping birds. Also features is an intimate drawing of a red-headed girl by Paul Maze.

^{Georges Braque (French, 1882-1963) 'Parole Peintes', etching and aquatint in colours. £500-800}

Of interest is Carol Peace’s ‘Reading’, estimated at £800-1200, this bronze sculpture portrays a young woman seated, her eyes focused on a book that rests on her legs. It is an introspective work and a classic example of Peace’s figurative sculpture.

^{Carol Peace (b.1970) 'Reading', bronze. £800-1,200}

The sale features works by East Anglian painter Tessa Newcomb and further paintings by this artist will be offered in our October Modern & Contemporary Art auction, which will showcase the collection’s highlights, in particular Frank Dobson’s ‘Woman Waking’. 

^{Appearing in our October 2022 Live Auction of Modern & Contemporary Art | Frank Dobson (1886-1963) 'Woman Waking', c.1925, bronze. £7,000-10,000}

For more information about our upcoming Modern & Contemporary Art auctions, or to discuss consignment to a future sale, please contact - 

Amy Scanlon

amyscanlon@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778