Christie’s, one of the world’s leading luxury auction houses, will host a charity sale of rare artworks from London private members’ club George this week.
In aid of The Caring Family Foundation — which tackles domestic abuse, child poverty and deforestation in the UK and Brazil — the 71 lots, which have adorned the walls of the Mayfair club for 20 years, will be available to buy for the first time.
The sale, aptly named George: Twenty Years in Mayfair, comes ahead of the club’s planned reopening this summer, having been closed for refurbishment since 2021. Founded by Robin Birley in 2001, and now owned by British businessman and charity co-founder Richard Caring, George has been described as “the heart of Mayfair life for the last 20 years”. The extensive art collection, which was previously for members’ eyes only, spans modern British art, prints, posters and photography — and it’s now open for browsing with bidding to commence from 14-28 March 2023.
Inside George, Mayfair
Tracey Emin’s I’m a Rare Bear, 2014
The sale is led by Tracey Emin’s 2014 blue and white Paddington-inspired neon I’m a Rare Bear, which was previously auctioned in aid of the NSPCC in 2014 by Emin, going for £62,000. Further highlights include the original Dachshund linocut designed for George by Hugo Guinness, which became the club’s much-loved logo, as well as a notable array of prints and exhibition posters by David Hockney, including his Dog Wall series, offered individually from £3,000-5,000.
The posters from George were a visual feast in their own right, featuring works by Hockney, Burkhard Mangold and Emil Cardinaux; the latter’s L’Hiver en Suisse lithograph from 1921 will start from £8,000. Other drawings and photographs in the collection include Ernest Howard Shepard’s signed circus scene; Neil Forster’s pencil study for a chimpanzee and The Kings of Hollywood, attributed to American photographer Slim Aarons.
L’Hiver en Suisse by Emil Cardinaux
The Kings of Hollywood attributed to Slim Aarons
Richard Caring said: “Patricia (Caring) and I have worked long and hard to create what, we hope, will be a beautiful site for George, which should now be the image and impression that it truly deserves. Some of the most spectacular paintings, drawings and decorations from George have been taken down and put into this auction with all proceeds going to The Caring Family Foundation.”
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