Margaret Mellis Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Margaret Mellis Art Value Price Guide

Apr. 26, 2024
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009)
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) THISTLES AT NIGHT initialled in pencil (lower left), pastel on unfolded envelope 34cm x 29cm (13 3/8in x 11 ½in) Exhibited:Gainsborough's House, Sudbury, Margaret Mellis, 22 August - 18 October 1992.
Lyon & Turnbull
Nov. 29, 2023
Margaret Mellis, 3 Ovals & 4 Squares;
Est: £800 - £1,200
Margaret Mellis, Scottish 1914-2009 - 3 Ovals & 4 Squares; oil on unstretched canvas, 20.5 x 16.7 cm Note: with title and estate sale reference number inscribed on a label attached to the reverse of the frame '3 Ovals & 4 Squares 8.252'. Margaret Mellis was a pioneer of abstraction from the 1940s in Britain, creating a highly innovative body of work that pushed the boundaries between painting and sculpture, always utilising a unique approach to colour. Mellis played an important role in the history of Modernism in St. Ives during the Second World War, her home with first husband Adrian Stokes providing a focal point for artists including Naum Gabo, Barbara Hepworth and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Mellis has been subject to major museum shows across the UK, including at City Art Centre, Edinburgh in 1997, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich in 2008 and more recently at Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne in 2022.
Roseberys
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The House 56 x 71 cm. (22 1/8 x 27 7/8 in.) (Painted circa the 1930s)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The House oil on canvas 56 x 71 cm. (22 1/8 x 27 7/8 in.) Painted circa the 1930s
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The Tree 63.5 x 41 cm. (25 x 16 1/8 in.) (Painted circa 1930)
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The Tree signed 'MELLIS' (on canvas verso) oil on canvas 63.5 x 41 cm. (25 x 16 1/8 in.) Painted circa 1930
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Still Life with Flowers 54 x 65 cm. (21 1/4 x 25 1/2 in.)
Est: £6,000 - £8,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Still Life with Flowers signed, inscribed and dated 'Margaret Mellis SYLEHAM 1950' (on the canvas overlap) oil on canvas 54 x 65 cm. (21 1/4 x 25 1/2 in.)
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Red Green and Orange Structure 58.5 x 58.5 cm. (23 x 23 in.) (unframed)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Green Orange Red Structure signed and titled 'MARGARET MELLIS/GREEN ORANGE RED/STRUCTURE' (verso); stamped twice with estate stamp (on the canvas overlap) oil on canvas 71.7 x 77 cm. (28 1/4 x 30 1/4 in.) (unframed)
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Three Boats VI: Chinese Orange Green Purple White 44 x 68.2 cm. (17 1/4 x 26 7/8 in.) (Executed circa 1977)
Est: £1,500 - £2,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Three Boats VI: Chinese Orange Green Purple White stamped with estate stamp (on the backboard) oil on unstretched canvas 44 x 68.2 cm. (17 1/4 x 26 7/8 in.) Executed circa 1977
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Small Imperial 58.5 x 58.5 cm. (23 x 23 in.) (unframed)
Est: £1,500 - £2,500
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Small Imperial signed, titled, dated and stamped with estate stamp 'Margaret Mellis/small imperial/SEP 69-DEC' (verso) oil on canvas laid on two boards 58.5 x 58.5 cm. (23 x 23 in.) (unframed)
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Round Table and Lemons 91.6 x 71.1 cm. (36 x 28 in.) (unframed) (Painted circa 1949)
Est: £6,000 - £8,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Round Table and Lemons signed 'Margaret Mellis' (lower left); titled and stamped with estate stamp 'Round table + Lemons' (on the canvas overlap); stamped again with estate stamp (on the stretcher) oil on canvas 91.6 x 71.1 cm. (36 x 28 in.) (unframed) Painted circa 1949
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Arngask House in the Spring II 45.5 x 61 cm. (17 7/8 x 24 in.) (unframed) (Painted in 1937)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Arngask House in the Spring II stamped twice with estate stamp (on the canvas overlap and the stretcher) oil on canvas 45.5 x 61 cm. (17 7/8 x 24 in.) (unframed) Painted in 1937
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Mother Playing Piano 35.6 x 74.9 cm. (14 x 29 1/2 in.) (unframed) (Painted circa 1929-33)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Mother Playing Piano stamped with estate stamp (on the canvas overlap); stamped again with estate stamp (on the stretcher) pencil and oil on canvas 35.6 x 74.9 cm. (14 x 29 1/2 in.) (unframed) Painted circa 1929-33
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Boats Garoupe 54 x 65 cm. (21 1/4 x 25 1/2 in.)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Boats Garoupe stamped with estate stamp (on the stretcher) oil on canvas 54 x 65 cm. (21 1/4 x 25 1/2 in.)
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Margot's Red Lilies 24.6 x 37.7 cm. (9 5/8 x 14 3/4 in.) (Executed in 1989)
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Margot's Red Lilies signed, titled and stamped with estate stamp 'Margaret Mellis/Margots Red Lillys' [sic.] (on mount reverse) pastel and crayon on an envelope 24.6 x 37.7 cm. (9 5/8 x 14 3/4 in.) Executed in 1989
Bonhams
Sep. 12, 2023
Margaret Mellis, Small White Relief, 1970
Est: £3,500 - £4,000
Margaret Mellis, Scottish 1914-2009 - Small White Relief, 1970; painted wooden relief, signed, titled and dated on the reverse 'Margaret Mellis White Relief Nov 1970' and with hand-numbered artist's stamp 'M Mellis 7.0762', 37.8 x 37.7 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Austin Desmond Gallery, London; private collection Exhibited: Piers Art Centre, Orkney, 'Margaret Mellis: Constructions, Paintings, Reliefs', 8th May - 10th June 1982 (according to the label attached to the reverse, which states the date of the work as 1971) Note: Margaret Mellis was a pioneer of abstraction from the 1940s in Britain, creating a highly innovative body of work that pushed the boundaries between painting and sculpture, always utilising a unique approach to colour. In the present work from the 1970s, the artist plays with light and shadow, in her use of relief and brilliant white. While artists as diverse as Mary Martin and Ben Nicholson were exploring similar techniques during the same period, through her distinct curved forms Mellis managed create a distinctly sensitive response to abstraction. Mellis played an important role in the history of Modernism in St. Ives during the Second World War, her home with first husband Adrian Stokes providing a focal point for artists including Naum Gabo, Barbara Hepworth and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Mellis has been subject to major museum shows across the UK, including at City Art Centre, Edinburgh in 1997, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich in 2008 and more recently at Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne in 2022.
Roseberys
Jul. 07, 2023
Exhibited Margaret Mellis Pastel - "Thistles at Night"
Est: $1,200 - $1,800
Margaret Mellis (Scottish born in China, 1914-2009). "Thistles at Night" pastel on envelope, n.d. Initialed "M.M." at lower left. Exhibition label on verso. A wonderful pastel composition on a deconstructed paper envelope by Margaret Mellis mounted behind glass in a custom frame. The composition is true to its title, depicting a colorful gathering of thistle flowers in a glass vase displayed on a windowsill, with a view of the dramatic night sky beyond the window panes. All is delineated in Mellis' signature expressive style, and a label on the verso indicates that this piece was exhibited at Gainsborough's House Sudbury Suffolk, August 22 to October 18, 1992. In addition to Mellis' undeniable artistry, unique style and format, the theme of this piece is particularly symbolic. Due to their prickly leaves, thistle flowers have been regarded as symbols of protection throughout the ages. The ancient Greeks believed that thistle flowers guarded them against demons, and the Germanic peoples associated thistles with the god Donar who was thought to protect those who carried a thistle flower on their person. Size (artwork): 13.4" L x 11.5" W (34 cm x 29.2 cm) Size (frame): 21.25" L x 18.25" W (54 cm x 46.4 cm) About the artist: "Born in 1914, in China, Margaret Mellis and her family returned to Scotland soon after her birth. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art, where she was taught by SJ Peploe and WG Gillies, and learnt alongside Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and William Gear. In 1933, she went to Paris to study under Andre Lhote, followed by another visit in 1937. In between, in 1936, she met Adrian Stokes; the couple married in 1938. Together, they moved to St Ives, Cornwall, arguably heralding the next wave of artists to the area, with Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, and Roger Hilton. Before this, she studied for a time at the Euston Road School, before fleeing to Cornwall following the outbreak of war. This move to St Ives coincided with Mellis exploring collage and relief. Created from found materials and paper, these collages were exhibited in New Movements in Art, at the London Museum in 1942. In 1946, following her divorce from Stokes, Mellis met the artist Francis Davison, with whom she moved to London, and then to Cap d' Antibes, in 1947. They married in 1948, and relocated to Walberswick, and later Syleham, Norfolk, in 1950, and then to Suffolk. For much of this time, though both continued to create artworks, neither was widely exhibited in London - they were geographically and, at times, conceptually, distant from life in the capital. This began to change, after Mellis embarked upon a series of large abstract paintings known as 'colour structures'. These were exhibited in London, with solo shows at Grabowski Gallery, in 1969, and then at Basil Jacobs Gallery, in 1972. From both shows, Mellis sold work to important public collections; the Government Art Collection bought a painting from the Basil Jacobs show, in 1972, while a painting had earlier been purchased by the Arts Council of Great Britain, in 1969. In 1978, Mellis started creating driftwood reliefs, which she found while walking along the local coast at Southwold, and likened the creative process to Surrealist automatism. In the mid-'80s, Mellis was included in several high-profile exhibitions, including the important survey show of St Ives 1939-64, staged at the Tate Gallery, London, in 1985, and later Scottish Art since 1900, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. In 1987, the Redfern Gallery staged a retrospective exhibition, from which the Tate and Arts Council bought recent driftwood reliefs. The exhibition was also attended by a young Damien Hirst; intrigued by the driftwood constructions in particular, Hirst wrote to the artist, and was invited to visit Mellis in Southwold, forming a lasting friendship. Mellis was part of the Tate St Ives' inaugural exhibition in 1993, and was the subject of a retrospective that opened at City Art Centre, Edinburgh, and toured the UK, in 1997. Recent exhibitions include Modern Scottish Women 1885-1965, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and a joint-show with Damien Hirst at Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. In 2018, her work featured in an exhibition inspired by Virginia Woolf and her writings, at Tate St Ives." (Redfern Gallery website) Provenance: private Santa Barbara, California, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #179026
Artemis Gallery
Jun. 15, 2023
Exhibited Margaret Mellis Pastel - "Big Burdock Leaf"
Est: $1,400 - $2,100
Margaret Mellis (Scottish born in China, 1914-2009). "Big Burdock Leaf" pastel on envelope, n.d. Initialed "M.M." twice at lower left and once at lower right. Exhibition label on verso. A wonderful pastel composition on a deconstructed paper envelope by Margaret Mellis mounted behind glass in a custom frame. The composition is true to its title, depicting a bouquet of colorful flowers displayed in a glass vase before a massive Burdock leaf. All is delineated in Mellis' signature expressive style, and a label on the verso indicates that this piece was exhibited at Gainsborough's House Sudbury Suffolk, August 22 to October 18, 1992. In addition to Mellis' undeniable artistry, unique style and format, the theme of this piece is particularly symbolic as Burdock is associated with abundance and has been used in rituals to bring about vitality, prosperity, and virility. Size (artwork): 12" L x 15.5" W (30.5 cm x 39.4 cm) Size (frame): 19.2" L x 22.25" W (48.8 cm x 56.5 cm) About the artist: "Born in 1914, in China, Margaret Mellis and her family returned to Scotland soon after her birth. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art, where she was taught by SJ Peploe and WG Gillies, and learnt alongside Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and William Gear. In 1933, she went to Paris to study under Andre Lhote, followed by another visit in 1937. In between, in 1936, she met Adrian Stokes; the couple married in 1938. Together, they moved to St Ives, Cornwall, arguably heralding the next wave of artists to the area, with Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, and Roger Hilton. Before this, she studied for a time at the Euston Road School, before fleeing to Cornwall following the outbreak of war. This move to St Ives coincided with Mellis exploring collage and relief. Created from found materials and paper, these collages were exhibited in New Movements in Art, at the London Museum in 1942. In 1946, following her divorce from Stokes, Mellis met the artist Francis Davison, with whom she moved to London, and then to Cap d' Antibes, in 1947. They married in 1948, and relocated to Walberswick, and later Syleham, Norfolk, in 1950, and then to Suffolk. For much of this time, though both continued to create artworks, neither was widely exhibited in London - they were geographically and, at times, conceptually, distant from life in the capital. This began to change, after Mellis embarked upon a series of large abstract paintings known as 'colour structures'. These were exhibited in London, with solo shows at Grabowski Gallery, in 1969, and then at Basil Jacobs Gallery, in 1972. From both shows, Mellis sold work to important public collections; the Government Art Collection bought a painting from the Basil Jacobs show, in 1972, while a painting had earlier been purchased by the Arts Council of Great Britain, in 1969. In 1978, Mellis started creating driftwood reliefs, which she found while walking along the local coast at Southwold, and likened the creative process to Surrealist automatism. In the mid-'80s, Mellis was included in several high-profile exhibitions, including the important survey show of St Ives 1939-64, staged at the Tate Gallery, London, in 1985, and later Scottish Art since 1900, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. In 1987, the Redfern Gallery staged a retrospective exhibition, from which the Tate and Arts Council bought recent driftwood reliefs. The exhibition was also attended by a young Damien Hirst; intrigued by the driftwood constructions in particular, Hirst wrote to the artist, and was invited to visit Mellis in Southwold, forming a lasting friendship. Mellis was part of the Tate St Ives' inaugural exhibition in 1993, and was the subject of a retrospective that opened at City Art Centre, Edinburgh, and toured the UK, in 1997. Recent exhibitions include Modern Scottish Women 1885-1965, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and a joint-show with Damien Hirst at Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. In 2018, her work featured in an exhibition inspired by Virginia Woolf and her writings, at Tate St Ives." (Redfern Gallery website) Provenance: private Santa Barbara, California, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #179037
Artemis Gallery
Jun. 15, 2023
Margaret Mellis Ink Painting with Cigarette
Est: $1,400 - $2,100
Margaret Mellis (Scottish born in China, 1914-2009). Ink painting with collaged cigarette, n.d. Inscribed "El Cigarillo y el Arte, Despues de Ferryfrost / London Oct. MM MA" at lower right. A fascinating piece by Margaret Mellis featuring two long-lashed eyes delineated in indigo blue ink, the eye to the right presenting the word "ART" on the sclera, as well as an actual cigarette collaged to the left of the composition with lyrical passages of yellow and pink ink suggesting light radiating from the cigarette butt, swirling plumes of smoke, and a heart surrounding the "ART" eye. The inscription below reads, "El Cigarillo y el Arte, Despues de Ferryfrost" suggesting enjoying a cigarette after partaking in a "Ferryfrost" - perhaps Mellis' alternative word for sex. A whimsical artwork by Margaret Mellis mounted under glass in a custom frame. Size: 5.875" L x 7.875" W (14.9 cm x 20 cm) About the artist: "Born in 1914, in China, Margaret Mellis and her family returned to Scotland soon after her birth. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art, where she was taught by SJ Peploe and WG Gillies, and learnt alongside Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and William Gear. In 1933, she went to Paris to study under Andre Lhote, followed by another visit in 1937. In between, in 1936, she met Adrian Stokes; the couple married in 1938. Together, they moved to St Ives, Cornwall, arguably heralding the next wave of artists to the area, with Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, and Roger Hilton. Before this, she studied for a time at the Euston Road School, before fleeing to Cornwall following the outbreak of war. This move to St Ives coincided with Mellis exploring collage and relief. Created from found materials and paper, these collages were exhibited in New Movements in Art, at the London Museum in 1942. In 1946, following her divorce from Stokes, Mellis met the artist Francis Davison, with whom she moved to London, and then to Cap d' Antibes, in 1947. They married in 1948, and relocated to Walberswick, and later Syleham, Norfolk, in 1950, and then to Suffolk. For much of this time, though both continued to create artworks, neither was widely exhibited in London - they were geographically and, at times, conceptually, distant from life in the capital. This began to change, after Mellis embarked upon a series of large abstract paintings known as 'colour structures'. These were exhibited in London, with solo shows at Grabowski Gallery, in 1969, and then at Basil Jacobs Gallery, in 1972. From both shows, Mellis sold work to important public collections; the Government Art Collection bought a painting from the Basil Jacobs show, in 1972, while a painting had earlier been purchased by the Arts Council of Great Britain, in 1969. In 1978, Mellis started creating driftwood reliefs, which she found while walking along the local coast at Southwold, and likened the creative process to Surrealist automatism. In the mid-'80s, Mellis was included in several high-profile exhibitions, including the important survey show of St Ives 1939-64, staged at the Tate Gallery, London, in 1985, and later Scottish Art since 1900, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. In 1987, the Redfern Gallery staged a retrospective exhibition, from which the Tate and Arts Council bought recent driftwood reliefs. The exhibition was also attended by a young Damien Hirst; intrigued by the driftwood constructions in particular, Hirst wrote to the artist, and was invited to visit Mellis in Southwold, forming a lasting friendship. Mellis was part of the Tate St Ives' inaugural exhibition in 1993, and was the subject of a retrospective that opened at City Art Centre, Edinburgh, and toured the UK, in 1997. Recent exhibitions include Modern Scottish Women 1885-1965, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and a joint-show with Damien Hirst at Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. In 2018, her work featured in an exhibition inspired by Virginia Woolf and her writings, at Tate St Ives." (Redfern Gallery website) Provenance: private Santa Barbara, California, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #179033
Artemis Gallery
Jun. 01, 2023
Exhibited Margaret Mellis Pastel - "Thistles at Night"
Est: $1,400 - $2,100
Margaret Mellis (Scottish born in China, 1914-2009). "Thistles at Night" pastel on envelope, n.d. Initialed "M.M." at lower left. Exhibition label on verso. A wonderful pastel composition on a deconstructed paper envelope by Margaret Mellis mounted behind glass in a custom frame. The composition is true to its title, depicting a colorful gathering of thistle flowers in a glass vase displayed on a windowsill, with a view of the dramatic night sky beyond the window panes. All is delineated in Mellis' signature expressive style, and a label on the verso indicates that this piece was exhibited at Gainsborough's House Sudbury Suffolk, August 22 to October 18, 1992. In addition to Mellis' undeniable artistry, unique style and format, the theme of this piece is particularly symbolic. Due to their prickly leaves, thistle flowers have been regarded as symbols of protection throughout the ages. The ancient Greeks believed that thistle flowers guarded them against demons, and the Germanic peoples associated thistles with the god Donar who was thought to protect those who carried a thistle flower on their person. Size (artwork): 13.4" L x 11.5" W (34 cm x 29.2 cm) Size (frame): 21.25" L x 18.25" W (54 cm x 46.4 cm) About the artist: "Born in 1914, in China, Margaret Mellis and her family returned to Scotland soon after her birth. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art, where she was taught by SJ Peploe and WG Gillies, and learnt alongside Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and William Gear. In 1933, she went to Paris to study under Andre Lhote, followed by another visit in 1937. In between, in 1936, she met Adrian Stokes; the couple married in 1938. Together, they moved to St Ives, Cornwall, arguably heralding the next wave of artists to the area, with Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, and Roger Hilton. Before this, she studied for a time at the Euston Road School, before fleeing to Cornwall following the outbreak of war. This move to St Ives coincided with Mellis exploring collage and relief. Created from found materials and paper, these collages were exhibited in New Movements in Art, at the London Museum in 1942. In 1946, following her divorce from Stokes, Mellis met the artist Francis Davison, with whom she moved to London, and then to Cap d' Antibes, in 1947. They married in 1948, and relocated to Walberswick, and later Syleham, Norfolk, in 1950, and then to Suffolk. For much of this time, though both continued to create artworks, neither was widely exhibited in London - they were geographically and, at times, conceptually, distant from life in the capital. This began to change, after Mellis embarked upon a series of large abstract paintings known as 'colour structures'. These were exhibited in London, with solo shows at Grabowski Gallery, in 1969, and then at Basil Jacobs Gallery, in 1972. From both shows, Mellis sold work to important public collections; the Government Art Collection bought a painting from the Basil Jacobs show, in 1972, while a painting had earlier been purchased by the Arts Council of Great Britain, in 1969. In 1978, Mellis started creating driftwood reliefs, which she found while walking along the local coast at Southwold, and likened the creative process to Surrealist automatism. In the mid-'80s, Mellis was included in several high-profile exhibitions, including the important survey show of St Ives 1939-64, staged at the Tate Gallery, London, in 1985, and later Scottish Art since 1900, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. In 1987, the Redfern Gallery staged a retrospective exhibition, from which the Tate and Arts Council bought recent driftwood reliefs. The exhibition was also attended by a young Damien Hirst; intrigued by the driftwood constructions in particular, Hirst wrote to the artist, and was invited to visit Mellis in Southwold, forming a lasting friendship. Mellis was part of the Tate St Ives' inaugural exhibition in 1993, and was the subject of a retrospective that opened at City Art Centre, Edinburgh, and toured the UK, in 1997. Recent exhibitions include Modern Scottish Women 1885-1965, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and a joint-show with Damien Hirst at Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. In 2018, her work featured in an exhibition inspired by Virginia Woolf and her writings, at Tate St Ives." (Redfern Gallery website) Provenance: private Santa Barbara, California, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #179026
Artemis Gallery
Sep. 28, 2022
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Pharos 116.8 x 82.6 cm. (46 1/2 x 32 1/2 in.)
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) Pharos twice signed, titled and dated 'MARGARET MELLIS/PHAROS aug 66' (verso) oil on board 116.8 x 82.6 cm. (46 1/2 x 32 1/2 in.) For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
May. 26, 2022
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) 3 Boats; orange and ultramarine signed, titled and dated March 1961 to the reverse; the reverse also bearing studio stamp and opus reference oil on board 51 x 61.5cm
Cheffins
Feb. 24, 2022
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009)
Est: £400 - £600
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Drawing for a painting - Black Brown Blue Red signed, titled and bearing estate stamp and opus reference to the reverse pastel and gouache on paper laid to board 22 x 16cm
Cheffins
Nov. 30, 2021
§ MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009)
Est: £4,000 - £6,000
§ MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) Still life fruits signed, inscribed and dated MARGARET MELLIS/STILL LIFE/FRUITS/FEB 1961 (on the reverse) oil on board 45 x 60.7 cm (17 3/4 x 24 in)
Chiswick Auctions
Feb. 23, 2021
Margaret Mellis, British 1914-2009- Untitled (Skew Series), 1983; oil on unstretchered canvas, be
Est: £500 - £800
Margaret Mellis, British 1914-2009- Untitled (Skew Series), 1983; oil on unstretchered canvas, bears estate stamp and reference number 8.251 to the reverse, 13.5x12cm, (ARR) Provenance: with Belgrave St Ives, according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame Please refer to department for condition report
Roseberys
Jan. 27, 2021
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) VIEW OF SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE - C.1948
Est: £5,000 - £7,000
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) VIEW OF SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE - C.1948 Bears 'M Mellis' stamp stretcher verso, oil on canvas (44cm x 59cm (17.25in x 23.25in)) Footnote: Provenance: The artist's family; The Redfern Gallery Note: This work was painted after Mellis's honeymoon to Venice in 1948.
Lyon & Turnbull
Jan. 27, 2021
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) UNTITLED (7 DIFFERENT TRIANGLES)
Est: £500 - £700
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) UNTITLED (7 DIFFERENT TRIANGLES) Collage and mixed media on card (9.5cm x 9.5cm (3.75in x 3.75in)) Footnote: Literature: Andrew Lambirth, Margaret Mellis 2010, p.135, ill.no.98
Lyon & Turnbull
Oct. 23, 2020
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Diamond Window
Est: £700 - £900
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Diamond Window estate stamp (to reverse), oil on canvas (17cm x 16cm (6.75in x 6.25in))
Lyon & Turnbull
Oct. 23, 2020
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Hollyhock and Marigold, 1988
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Hollyhock and Marigold, 1988 inscribed, titled and dated (on backboard), estate stamp and opus reference (to reverse), coloured chalks on envelope (23cm x 25.5cm (9in x 10in))
Lyon & Turnbull
Oct. 23, 2020
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Frills
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Frills estate stamp and reference no. (to reverse), oil on canvas (32cm x 34cm (12.5in x 13.5in))
Lyon & Turnbull
Sep. 17, 2020
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009)
Est: £600 - £800
§ Margaret Mellis (British 1914-2009) Untitled abstract, from the Skew series, 1983 estate stamp and number verso oil and pencil on unprepared canvas 13.5 x 13cm Footnote: Provenance Kingham Orme sale, March 2019, lot 464, where acquired by the present owner
Cheffins
Apr. 16, 2020
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) HOUSE ON SAND - 1974-75
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
§ MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH 1914-2009) HOUSE ON SAND - 1974-75 Signed, titled and dated verso, oil on canvas laid on board (Dimensions: 63cm x 58cm (24.75in x 22.75in))
Lyon & Turnbull
Jan. 23, 2020
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) - Rapallo, Italy
Est: £6,000 - £8,000
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) Rapallo, Italy signed with initials 'M.M.' (lower right), signed again, inscribed and dated 'Margaret Melllis Rapallo July 1938' (on the stretcher), stamped with the studio stamp (on a label attached to the strectcher) oil on canvas 22 x 30 in. (56 x 76.2 cm.) Painted in 1938, on the artist's honeymoon. PROVENANCE: Purchased directly from the artist by the present owner. This painting is a splendid example of Mellis’ frst fgurative period and is one of at least two paintings she made in the Italian Riviera resort of Rapallo, where she and Adrian Stokes spent a fortnight on honeymoon in the summer of 1938. The other painting is Palms and Olives, Rapallo, and both were painted from the window of their hotel, looking down towards the sea. There is a deliciously feathery lightness of touch to the paint-handling in these pictures, also an apparent informality and spontaneity, but beneath this dazzling surface is a sure sense of pictorial construction already learnt at Edinburgh College of Art and reinforced by her studies at the Euston Road School. However relaxed the application, the picture maintains its formal balance and continues to delight.
Christie's
Jan. 23, 2020
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) - Two Dog Roses
Est: £5,000 - £7,000
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) Two Dog Roses signed with initials 'MM' (lower right), signed again, inscribed, and dated 'Margaret Mellis. Two Dog Roses c. 1952.' (on the stretcher), stamped with the studio stamp (on a label attached to the stretcher) oil on canvas 13 1/4 x 16 1/4 in. (33.6 x 41.5 cm.) Painted circa 1952. PROVENANCE: Purchased directly from the artist by the present owner. The career of Margaret Mellis was a chequered one, with the personal events of her life and situation playing a crucial role in her artistic development. She had approached abstraction through her contact with Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, brought about by her marriage to Adrian Stokes; equally, when he left her for her younger sister Ann in 1946, she abandoned the intellectual rigours of abstraction and returned to an École de Paris-infected realism, taking refuge in the colour and appearance of the real world. Two Dog Roses is a fne example of this second fgurative period, much reliant upon formal pattern and accentuated colour for its potent efects, before she once more began to venture into abstraction around 1953. Flowers were always a favourite motif for Mellis and here they are the central component in a surprisingly joyous composition — perhaps indicative of her new-found happiness with her second husband, the collagist Francis Davison.
Christie's
Jan. 23, 2020
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) - Houses by Moonlight, St Ives
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
MARGARET MELLIS (1914-2009) Houses by Moonlight, St Ives signed and inscribed 'Margaret Mellis/Houses by Moonlight' and stamped with the studio stamp (on the reverse) oil on canvas laid on panel 8 x 7Ω in. (20 x 19 cm.) Painted in 1940. PROVENANCE: Purchased directly from the artist by the present owner. This resonant abstraction epitomises the outburst of creativity and change of direction Mellis experienced on moving to St Ives with her husband Adrian Stokes. Although there was already a well-established colony of artists in the area, it was the arrival of Stokes and Mellis in Carbis Bay which made St Ives a focus for international modernism. Stokes invited Ben Nicholson and his new wife Barbara Hepworth to come to live with them and escape the bombs falling on London, and although it was tough for the newly-married Mellis and Stokes to have Ben and Barbara as house guests (not the most accommodating of individuals), Mellis found Ben’s company enormously stimulating. And when Naum Gabo moved into a bungalow at the end of the garden, the Mellis/Stokes home became a centre of abstract debate and creativity. Mellis, who up till then had been painting in a fgurative mode, responded by making a number of resolutely abstract collages and low relief constructions, and began to experiment with painted abstract imagery too. Houses by Moonlight anticipates the abstraction that Mellis would develop in the 1970s and 80s, and ofers a particularly poignant and subtle example of her work.
Christie's
Jul. 18, 2019
Margaret Mellis British, 1914-2009 John's Snowdrops Red
Est: $600 - $900
Margaret Mellis British, 1914-2009 John's Snowdrops Red Colored chalk on envelope Sight 9 x 12 inches Provenance: Redfern Gallery, London C Estate of Frances "Peggy" Brooks
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Jul. 12, 2019
† Margaret Mellis (1914-2009), Untitled, oil on unprepared canvas, 1983, from the Skew Series, estate stamp and reference verso, 13.5cm x 12cm, framed
Est: £600 - £800
† Margaret Mellis (1914-2009), Untitled, oil on unprepared canvas, 1983, from the Skew Series, estate stamp and reference verso, 13.5cm x 12cm, framed
Kinghams Auctioneers
Mar. 01, 2019
† Margaret Mellis (1914-2009), Untitled, oil on unprepared canvas, 1983, from the Skew series, estate stamp and number verso, 13.5cm x 13cm, framed
Est: £800 - £1,200
† Margaret Mellis (1914-2009), Untitled, oil on unprepared canvas, 1983, from the Skew series, estate stamp and number verso, 13.5cm x 13cm, framed
Kinghams Auctioneers
Mar. 20, 2018
MARGARET MELLIS | Boy
Est: £1,200 - £1,800
oil on board, construction and collage
Sotheby's
Mar. 20, 2018
MARGARET MELLIS | Half Circle and Shadows
Est: £500 - £800
crayon and coloured chalk on paper
Sotheby's
Mar. 20, 2018
MARGARET MELLIS | Bottle and Reflection
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
oil on canvas
Sotheby's
Mar. 20, 2018
MARGARET MELLIS | Aldeburgh Boats
Est: £1,500 - £2,500
oil on canvas, unstretched
Sotheby's
Jun. 29, 2017
MARGARET MELLIS | Scarlet Undercurrent
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
oil and wood construction
Sotheby's
Nov. 22, 2016
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still life with wine bottle and yellow dish
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still life with wine bottle and yellow dish bears title, date and signature ‘Margaret Mellis 1947-48’ (canvas stretcher); stamped with artist’s studio stamp oil on canvas 54 x 65cm (21 1/4 x 25 9/16in).
Bonhams
Oct. 06, 2016
§ Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The Fish Slab, 1958 signed on the reverse "Margaret Mellis"
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
§ Margaret Mellis (British, 1914-2009) The Fish Slab, 1958 signed on the reverse "Margaret Mellis" oil on board, in a white painted frame h:52 w:64 cm Exhibited: The Scottish Gallery, November 1958. Other Notes: Scottish artist Margaret Mellis was born in Swatow, China before her family moved back to Scotland where she grew up and came to attend Edinburgh College of Fine Art in 1930, earning her diploma and studio award in 1934. There she was taught under the colourist Samuel John Peploe and the landscape painters William Gillies and John Maxwell, studying alongside William Gear and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham who remained a friend in later life. Following this she earned an Andrew Grant Travelling Scholarship to work with André Lhote in Paris for six months, and in 1936 she met the art critic Adrian Stokes. The following year Mellis was awarded the Andrew Grant Fellowship which enabled her to work for one year in her own studio before returning to Edinburgh in the second year to complete a mural. Mellis and Stokes married in 1938, meaning her Fellowship was withdrawn due to the award being ineligible for married women. Mellis went on to study at the Euston Road School, and in 1939 she and Stokes moved to Cornwall and were joined by companions in the modernist movement in Cornwall such as Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. Mellis was predominantly a colourist, working in collage and relief. Her move to Southwold, Suffolk in 1976 marked the beginning of her work in driftwood sculpture. During the 1990s Mellis played a role as mentor to the young artist Damien Hirst, and in 2001 her works were a major feature in the Newlywn Art Gallery exhibition. The 2008 Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts also exhibited a retrospective collection of her work along with producing a short film documentary Margaret Mellis: a Life in Colour. Tate St. Ives went on to display her work as another major feature in its 2011 Summer Exhibition, with Martin Creed and Agnes Martin as accompanying main contributors. Currently the Tate Gallery in London own four of Mellis' works; others are held by the Arts Council, The Fleming Collection, the City Art Centre, and the National Gallery of Scotland.
Cheffins
Mar. 15, 2016
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still wi
Est: £1,500 - £2,000
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still with fish in a pan bears title, date and signature ‘Margaret Mellis 1950’ (canvas overlap); stamped with artist’s studio stamp oil on canvas 30.5 x 35.5cm (12 x 14in).
Bonhams
Mar. 15, 2016
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still li
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still life with champagne and tomatoes bears title, date and signature ‘Margaret Mellis 1952’ (canvas stretcher); stamped with artist’s studio stamp oil on canvas 61 x 50.6cm (24 x 19 15/16in).
Bonhams
Mar. 15, 2016
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still li
Est: £4,000 - £6,000
AR MARGARET MELLIS (BRITISH, 1914-2009) Still life with wine bottle and yellow dish bears title, date and signature ‘Margaret Mellis 1947-48’ (canvas stretcher); stamped with artist’s studio stamp oil on canvas 54 x 65cm (21 1/4 x 25 9/16in).
Bonhams
Oct. 13, 2015
*Margaret Mellis (1914-2009) 'WHITE BUILDINGS', c.1975/1980 Stamp
Est: £800 - £1,200
*Margaret Mellis (1914-2009) 'WHITE BUILDINGS', c.1975/1980 Stamped and numbered 8.191 verso, oil on canvas 29 x 29cm Provenance: Purchased direct from the artist's estate. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.
Sworders
Sep. 30, 2015
MARGARET MELLIS | Check Table
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
oil on board
Sotheby's