Are you a lover of Northern Art and looking to find a specialist auction house to help you find the perfect piece? If so, look no further than Wilson55.
Established in 1955, the Cheshire-based auction house specialises in a number of areas including design, jewellery and watches, classic furniture and Northern Art, with four dedicated auctions for each taking place throughout the year.
With three different bidding platforms at its disposal, Wilson55’s auctions run both in the UK and internationally, with its sophisticated free online bidding system providing a global reach.
All auctions feature specialist cataloguing knowledge paired with high-quality and extensive lot photography, along with accurate and prompt reports on condition and provenance of the featured lots.
Or if you’re a collector who likes to see your potential purchases up close, you can head down to the auction house in person too. Sale viewings are held in Wilson55’s customised salerooms, where you can also chat with experts, making auction buying an even more enjoyable process, as well as being sustainable.
Love for the north and beyond
As a north west auction house, Wilson55 takes pride in championing Northern Art – a term used to describe the group of 20th century artists who chose the north west’s urban landscapes as their primary subject matter – something which is evident from its impressive record of selling such works, by Harold Riley of Salford, Theodore Major of Wigan, and many more local artists.
The auction house also has regular client visits in and around the Greater Manchester area. The in-house specialists are passionate and dedicated to their areas of expertise, equipped with many years of experience and up-to-date market knowledge to answer your valuation enquiries both online and over the phone. They can also attend home visits if suitable.
Wilson55’s wider range of services include valuations for insurance and probate, selling single-owner collections, and handling artist estates.
And Wilson55 just doesn’t have clients in the north west or the UK. The auction house also boasts clients as far as the United States, with a private collector in New York recently becoming the proud owner of a Monumental Moon Jar by Japanese artist Akiko Hirai. The piece sold for £10,000 in a Modern Art and Design auction which took place last month.
James Spiridion, a specialist at Wilson55, said: “Our Modern Art and Design auction celebrates all aspects of modern art and design from the late 19th century to the modern day. We strive to offer unique, quality works which cater to a wide range of collectors, both old and new, and interior spaces from city-centre apartments to Victorian terraces.
“We are welcoming consignments for our next Modern Art and Design Sale on May 30 which already features a range of exciting names including Louis Vuitton, John Maltby, Fabian Perez and Sir Peter Blake.”
A preview of upcoming lots in this sale can be seen by clicking here.
Northern Art auctions
Wilson55 holds four dedicated Northern Art auctions each year and offers a free appraisal service for items consigned to these auctions.
The auctions have included the works of many well-known artists such as Lowry, Geoffrey Key, William Turner, Trevor Grimshaw and Harold Riley, as well as many other recognised names and emerging artists.
The next Northern Art auction will take place at 11am on March 28, 2024, with some real show-stoppers set to go under the hammer.
Stephen from Wilson55 said: “Our standalone specialist Northern Art sales are unique, forged over two decades and catering for those artists who have, for many years, been largely overlooked.
“As a saleroom, we hold record hammer prices for works by both well-known and emerging northern artists. The Northern Art sales continue to go from strength to strength as new buyers and collectors choose our auctions to buy and sell amazing examples at the right price.”
So, if you’re looking to start or grow your Northern Art collection, take a look below at just a couple of excellent pieces to keep your eye out for at the upcoming auction.
‘Going to the Match’
This piece, entitled ‘Going to the Match, is by Salford artist Harold Riley, who was himself a lifelong Manchester United supporter. The oil painting was originally acquired directly from the artist and is estimated to sell between £10,000 – £15,000.
Riley passed away at the age of 88 in 2023 and left a legacy of artwork behind him documenting the city of Salford and his life in paintings, drawings and photographs.
His commissioned painted portraits included Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Pope John XIII, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, American Ambassador Elliot Richardson, and United States Presidents John F. Kennedy and Gerald Ford. You can read more about his life and work here.
You can register your interest to bid for the piece, or for a condition report, by clicking here.
‘Snow at Wigan’
‘Snow at Wigan’ is an oil painting by local artist Theodore Major, which was originally acquired directly from the artist’s daughter. This piece was displayed at the Looking Forward exhibition at the Art Exhibition Bureau in London and at the City of Manchester Art Gallery, and is estimated to sell between £20,000 – £30,000.
Theodore Major was born in Wigan and died at the age of 90 in 1999. He often painted pictures of Lancashire, as well as industrial landscapes. He also explored larger themes such as the effects of pollution on the environment and atomic wars.
You can register your interest to bid for the piece, or for a condition report, by clicking here.
Jewellery and watches sale
If you’re looking to add some glamour to your wardrobe, Wilson55 is also holding a dedicated Fine Jewellery, Watches and Designer auction on March 21 at 11am. Here are two designer pieces featured in the sale…
18ct gold plique-à-jour brooch by J. Roca
This piece illustrates a mother of pearl sailboat atop a plique-à-jour scenic background, within a cultured pearl, ruby, sapphire and diamond surround. Signed J. Roca, the brooch is estimated to go for between £800 – £1,200 at auction.
You can register your interest to bid for the piece, or for a condition report, by clicking here.
Omega Speedmaster Racing ‘Michael Schumacher’ automatic wristwatch
This watch features a signed black checkerboard dial with baton markers, luminous outer track, three subsidiary dials and pushers to 2 and 4. It is estimated to be sold within the region of £2,500 – £4,500.
You can register your interest to bid for the piece by clicking here.