Peter Collingwood
The Cutting Edge Weaver
Unique pieces by the artist weaver Peter Collingwood are proving to be quite popular among contemporary collectors. We are delighted to present his 1980s microgauze wall hanging in our Design auction on 26 January. The linen and steel rod sculpture is the third piece by Collingwood to be offered with us within the past year. Read on to find out more about the work of art titled M143, No.74
Lot 414
Peter Collingwood
M143, No.74
Estimate - £4,000 - £6,000
We are delighted to present a 1980s microgauze wall hanging by the British artist-weaver Peter Collingwood (1922-2008) in our Design auction on 26 January. The linen and steel rod sculpture is the third piece by Collingwood to be offered with us within the past year, as two other similar lots were sold for strong prices in 2020.
A weaving titled M.200. No.10 sold on behalf of a Suffolk client in June for £5,800 and a larger hanging titled M.72 No.3 sold for £8,000 in October for a consignor in North Carolina.
The latest Collingwood piece titled M143.74 dates from c.1988 and will be sold together with a facsimile of a letter dated 24 March 1989 explaining it was a gift to the recipients ‘John & Madoka’ from the Japanese weaver Jun Tomita (b.1951). Collingwood apologises for a delay in sending it:
“I am afraid I have taken rather a long time to get it woven as I have been travelling in India. There is a nylon loop at the top of the hanging - so it only needs one nail in the wall to hang it from.”
Courtesy of a postscript, the letter also sheds a little light on the numerical titles that Collingwood gave his works. He writes:
“The metal label [impressed Paul Collingwood M143.74] shows it is design M143 & that it is the 74th time I have woven this design”.
Peter Collingwood
M200. No. 10
Sold for £5,800
Collingwood was at the cutting edge of weaving for 50 years, his microgauze hangings pushed forward the ancient craft of weaving to create bold visual abstractions that are admired worldwide. Trained after national service by the master weaver Ethel Mairet, he first worked with Alastair Morton at the Edinburgh Weavers before setting up studio at Archway in North London in 1952. Selling his work in Liberty’s and Heals, he later worked at the Digswell Arts Trust in Hertfordshire alongside the potter Hans Coper.
For more information about these lots please contact John Black
T | 01279 817778
E | johnblack@sworder.co.uk
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