Carrying on from his superb discovery of the Donald McIntyre art last month, intrepid Dee Atkinson and Harrison auctioneer and valuer Graham Paddison has uncovered another interesting painting.
While undertaking the monthly free auction valuation day event at our Hessle offices a couple came in with a J. Steven Dews oil on canvas of a clipper sailing ship.
It had been in the family since the vendors father bought it back in December 1976 from the well renowned late James Starkey Fine Art gallery in Beverley. This was Dews first solo exhibition and she remembers her father saying how he just fell in love with the painting, happily paying £750 for it. It has stayed in the family until now and is only being offered for auction due to her downsizing.
The painting is titled “Torrens shortening sail” and measures 60 x 90 cm, is in its original frame and is in perfect condition with the gallery labels to the reverse.
The painting will be auctioned in the Driffield Fine Art sale on Friday 13 May with an estimate of £8,000/12,000, along with the McIntyre.
Torrens (1875 – 1910) was a clipper ship that carried passengers and cargo between London and Australia.