Mousehole Charity Shop Painting Makes Waves At Auction
A painting found in a Royal Wootton Bassett charity shop has sold at RWB Auctions for £3,900.
Found In An RSPCA Charity Shop
The abstract depiction of Mousehole harbour by George Hammond Steel was found at the RSPCA shop, just a few doors down the High Street from RWB Auctions, who sold the painting in their 14 January Antiques and Interiors sale.
Before Christmas, staff at the shop recognised it as a quality piece and brought it to expert valuer Gordon Brockman. He quickly identified the artist and provided a conservative estimate of £600 to £800. On sale day, bidders online and on the telephone battled it out to claim the painting, which will soon be heading to a collector in Nottinghamshire.
Speaking following the sale, RWB Auctions' Senior Auction Administrator, Kelly Ohrland, said:
'We're proud to support a range of local charities, with many of our sellers choosing to directly donate their auction winnings. We also help charity shop managers obtain top prices for rare and unusual pieces, such as this lovely painting. Our online sales catalogues are hosted on all of the major auction websites, which means serious collectors get the heads up when a piece like this comes to the market, resulting in the exciting bidding war we saw on Wednesday.'
Rendered in oils, the painting features a view of the harbour at Mousehole, the picturesque Cornish fishing village. The work depicts a low tide from the harbour walls, with small boats in the foreground and charming seaside cottages above. It might be a study for a larger painting of the same scene, which last sold in 2019 for £4,940. The white building with five windows in the centre of the picture is today the Mousehole Deli & Kitchen.
The painting is nicely framed and signed in the bottom right-hand corner, 'HAMMOND STEEL'.
.jpg "George Hammond Steel (1900–1960) was a British painter and stained-glass designer, best known for his atmospheric impasto views of Cornish towns and Derbyshire landscapes. He was the son of the artist George Thomas Steel and spent much of his life living")
The undated oil painting by George Hammond Steel of Mousehole harbour.
Who Was George Hammond Steel?
George Hammond Steel (1900–1960) was a British painter and stained-glass designer, best known for his atmospheric impasto views of Cornish towns and Derbyshire landscapes. He was the son of the artist George Thomas Steel (1880-1960) and spent much of his life living in Ashdon, Kent.
Steel was trained at the Sheffield School of Art under Anthony Betts before continuing his studies in Birmingham and London. He exhibited widely during his career, showing at the Royal Academy, Leicester Galleries, the Glasgow Institute, and the Paris Salon, with solo exhibitions held at Graves Art Gallery and Clifton Park Museum in 1941, and at the Hilton Gallery in 1941 and 1951.
His work is represented in several public collections, including those of the National Trust, Birmingham Museums Trust, Sheffield Museums, and Southampton City Art Gallery.
Charity Sales At RWB Auctions
While many UK charity shops are successfully using eBay to sell more valuable pieces, auction houses can be a good choice for reaching a new audience of specialist buyers.
RWB Auctions offers no-fee consignment for registered charities and provides free advice to managers and volunteers looking to value donated items, including coins, jewellery, silverware, watches, paintings, vintage toys, military medals, ceramics and more.
For more information, please refer to our charity shop valuations guide or contact our friendly team today by phone or email.
.jpg "RWB Auctions offers no-fee consignment for registered charities and provides free advice to managers and volunteers looking to value donated items, including coins, jewellery, silverware, watches, paintings, vintage toys, military medals, ceramics, glass")
Gordon poses with Fiona, a volunteer at the RSPCA chairty shop in Royal Wootton Bassett.