Oswell Blakeston Sold at Auction Prices

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  Untitled (abstract collage);  ink and collage on oil on bo

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  Untitled (abstract collage);  ink and collage on oil on board, 35.5 x 30 cm: together with another similar work by the same artist of the same size and medium (2) (ARR)  Provenance:  from the Studio of Oswell Blakeston and Max Chapman 

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  Proposition G;   oil and metalic paint on paper laid down

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  Proposition G;   oil and metalic paint on paper laid down on painted paper, signed and titled on the reverse of the frame 'Oswell Blakeston Proposition G', x cm: together with another work by the same artist of a smaller size, 'Untitled (Lizard)' (2) (ARR)  Provenance:  with The Sandford Gallery, London, ref.B2426 (according to the inscribed label attached to the reverse of the frame);  from the Studio of Oswell Blakeston and Max Chapman 

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  By the Pond;  oil on board, signed and titled on the rever

Oswell Blakeston,  British 1907–1985 -  By the Pond;  oil on board, signed and titled on the reverse of the frame 'Oswell Blakeston By the Pond', 24.5 x 60.5 cm: together with another work by the same artist of a smaller size, 'Landscape Two' (2) (ARR)  Provenance:  from the Studio of Oswell Blakeston and Max Chapman  Note:  Oswell Blakeston (Henry Hasslacher 1907–1985) was the partner of Max Chapman. Blakeston exhibited with Leicester, Madden and Mercury galleries and the pair had a retrospective at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art in 1981. His abstract works show the shared influence of Chapman, Alan Davie and Aubrey Williams. Blakeston also worked variously in the publishing and film industry, creating experimental films and writing on film theory, alongside writing poetry and fiction. 

Oswell Blakeston (1907-1985): Fantômes

Gelatin silver print, signed on the mat. 6 x 4 1/8 in. (sheet), unframed.

[Blakeston (Oswell) and Roger Burford], "Simon". The Cat With the Moustache, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1935.

[Blakeston (Oswell) and Roger Burford], "Simon". The Cat With the Moustache, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author "To my friend John Gainswith" on title, endpapers and margins a little toned, occasional faint spotting, original cloth, a little discoloured, dust-jacket, broken or nearly broken along flap joints, repaired with tape, large portion of loss to lower third of spine, smaller portions of loss to spine head, chips and nicks to edges, 8vo, 1935. *** Rare: we cannot find another signed copy in commerce. Certainly an unusual title as evidenced by the blurb on the front flap: "Have you ever met a cat 'wearing a moustache like an Italian ice-cream merchant's? Probably not, and if ever you do it is not unlikely that you will become involved in as surprising a series of events as Inspector Peering does in this story. When a wealthy lady holds a psychic seance in her country house and invites a police officer on leave-who arrives to find the house completely empty and later discovers her ladyship's manservant dead in a ditch-when the trail leads to a private asylum in charge of a doctor almost as peculiar as his patients, and among the clues are a dwarf, a clairvoyant, a rose that turns into a cigarette and a music-hall dancer who sends out code messages during his 'turn,' then obviously here is a deep-laid scheme for the amiable inspector to unravel. All these ingredients, and others no less unusual, make up an eerie story which is mysterious to the last page".

[Blakeston (Oswell) and Roger Burford], "Simon". The Cat with the Moustache, first edition, 1935.

[Blakeston (Oswell) and Roger Burford], "Simon". The Cat with the Moustache, first edition, lacking front free endpaper, original cloth, mottling to covers, dust-jacket, spine ends and corners chipped with partial loss to spine titles, diagonal slash to spine, creasing to head and foot, closed tear and surface soiling to lower panel, 8vo, 1935. ⁂ A rare and unusual title, as evidenced by the blurb on the front flap: "Have you ever met a cat 'wearing a moustache like an Italian ice-cream merchant's? Probably not, and if ever you do it is not unlikely that you will become involved in as surprising a series of events as Inspector Peering does in this story. When a wealthy lady holds a psychic seance in her country house and invites a police officer on leave-who arrives to find the house completely empty and later discovers her ladyship's manservant dead in a ditch-when the trail leads to a private asylum in charge of a doctor almost as peculiar as his patients, and among the clues are a dwarf, a clairvoyant, a rose that turns into a cigarette and a music-hall dancer who sends out code messages during his 'turn,' then obviously here is a deep-laid scheme for the amiable inspector to unravel. All these ingredients, and others no less unusual, make up an eerie story which is mysterious to the last page".

Oswell Blakeston (British, 1907-1985) Abstract swirls 30.5 x 40.5 cm.