Christie’s recently announced The Collection of Sir Nicholas Goodison – British Art: Innovation and Craftsmanship, which will be offered in a live sale on 25 May 2022.
Hugely respected within the world of banking and the arts, Sir Nicholas Goodison (1934-2021) was a businessman, patron of the arts, scholar, philanthropist, and polymath. The Chairman of the Stock Exchange (1976-1986), for which he was knighted in 1982, Sir Nicholas Goodison was also Chairman of TSB Group (1988-1995), and deputy chair of Lloyds TSB (1995-2000).
He chaired an impressive array of important cultural institutions including the Courtauld (1982-2002), the Art Fund (1986-2002), and the Crafts Council (1997–2005). Comprising approximately 250 lots, his collection spans: Modern British Art & Sculpture; Modern & Contemporary Ceramics & Glass; Victorian and British Impressionist Art; English Furniture, Clocks, Watches, Barometers, Sculpture, Silver, and Works of Art by Matthew Boulton.
The top lot of the sale is a unique bronze sculpture, Ancestral Totem, conceived in 1956-58 by William Turnbull, whose exploration of material and form has secured his place as one of Britain’s most important post-war sculptors (estimate: £200,000-300,000, illustrated below). With estimates ranging from £300 to £300,000, the collection is expected to realize over £3 million.
Charles Cator, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s International: “It is a great honour for Christie’s to be entrusted with the sale of Sir Nicholas Goodison’s collection and a very special personal privilege for me, having known Sir Nicholas and Lady Goodison for so long and bearing in mind the close bonds of friendship that have connected Christie’s to the Goodisons over many years.
Having played a vital role in the arts in the United Kingdom, Sir Nicholas was a polymath in the true sense of the word, and this collection – in fact, a series of distinct collections – reflects the wide-ranging and varied interests of a great connoisseur whose collecting spanned artists, objects and materials separated by many centuries but united by their aesthetic beauty, innovative design, exceptional craftsmanship, and their contribution to the British cultural landscape.”
