George Smart Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1774 - d. 1846

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  • Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Earth Stopper, circa 1820s
    Oct. 19, 2023

    Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Earth Stopper, circa 1820s

    Est: £1,500 - £2,000

    Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Earth Stopper, circa 1820s * Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Earth Stopper, circa 1820s, watercolour and collage (including cut felt) on paper laid down on bevelled wood panel (as issued), depicting a mounted countryman and his two dogs terrified by the silhouette of a chimney sweep standing in front of a donkey, crude paper repair to upper edge, rubbed in places, some chipping to edges, 26.2 x 38.8 cm, original printed paper label to verso 'G. Smart, maker of cloth & velvet figures, Frant, near Tunbridge Wells' above a 24-line verse, with imprint 'Clifford, Printer ... Tunbridge Wells' below, base of label with contemporary ink manicle and Latin inscription 'Ne plus ultra' QTY: (1) NOTE: Christie, George Smart, pp.74-83. East Sussex tailor George Smart, famed for his unique works of art fabricated from the scraps of cloth left over from his trade, was also noted for his portraits and dummy boards. His works were mentioned in several contemporary local guidebooks in the early 19th century which earned him minor celebrity status. His most famous subjects were ones he observed from his shop - Old Bright, the local postman, and The Goosewoman. Twenty-one works by George Smart were included in Tate Britain's 'British Folk Art' exhibition in 2014, and he is now recognised as one of the key figures in the history of English Folk Art. Unusually for Smart the subject of this creation is a borrowed one. Images of the earth stopper - an estate worker whose task it was to block up fox holes at night - date back to 1767, although Smart's humourous scene, in which the startled earth stopper interprets the silhouette of a chimney sweep and his donkey as a devil figure, most closely matches an unattributed print of around 1790, currently in the Lewis Walpole Collection at Yale University.

    Dominic Winter Auctions
  • Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Soldier and the Maid, circa 1817
    Oct. 19, 2023

    Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Soldier and the Maid, circa 1817

    Est: £2,000 - £3,000

    Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Soldier and the Maid, circa 1817 * Smart (George, 1774-1846). The Soldier and the Maid, circa 1817, moveable watercolour and collage picture on card, including cut fabric (mostly felt), depicting a young girl in a tweed dress with chequered apron and blue felt hat, and a dashing military gentleman wearing red trousers with gold trim and a dark blue jacket (uniform similar to the 10th Hussar's Regiment), each with operating tab, the maid curtseying and the gentleman raising his hat, a thatched rustic dwelling and the sea with sailing ships in the background, toned, some light spotting and marks, old pin holes to edges, 27.8 x 22.5 cm, laid down on a blue paste paper-covered stretcher, verso with original printed paper label 'Smart, Cat Manufacturer, Frant, Near Tunbridge Wells' above a 26-line verse, with imprint 'Clifford, Printer, Tunbridge Wells' below, and a handwritten contemporary label 'Patronized by His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex', with later pencilled date of 1820 below QTY: (1) NOTE: Christie, George Smart, pp. 90-93 (this example unknown to Jonathan Christie). Rare: just two other examples of this subject - the only articulated picture by George Smart - are known to exist, and one of these is defective. The first is a double portrait showing both the maid and the soldier (minus his hat) set against a stone building similar to that depicted in the present example, and a church spire, but without the ships at sea. It was sold at Christie's in 2020 (Collection of Alexandra Tolstoy). The second is a pair of portraits showing the maid and soldier separately, the dwelling appearing in the former picture, and the sea visible in both (held by Tunbridge Wells Museum). East Sussex tailor George Smart, famed for his unique works of art fabricated from the scraps of cloth left over from his trade, was also noted for his portraits and dummy boards. His works were mentioned in several contemporary local guidebooks in the early 19th century which earned him minor celebrity status. His most famous subjects were ones he observed from his shop - Old Bright, the local postman, and The Goosewoman. Twenty-one works by George Smart were included in Tate Britain's 'British Folk Art' exhibition in 2014, and he is now recognised as one of the key figures in the history of English Folk Art.

    Dominic Winter Auctions
  • GEORGE SMART (BRITISH 1774-1846), A MIXED MEDIA WORK OF ART 'THE EARTH STOPPER'
    Dec. 13, 2022

    GEORGE SMART (BRITISH 1774-1846), A MIXED MEDIA WORK OF ART 'THE EARTH STOPPER'

    Est: £1,000 - £1,500

    GEORGE SMART (BRITISH 1774-1846), A MIXED MEDIA WORK OF ART 'THE EARTH STOPPER'EARLY 19TH CENTURYApplied felt on watercolour paper background, the rear with original paper label for George Smart of Frant 'Artist in cloth and velvet figures to his Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex' together with an an amusing printed verse relating the story of the Earth StopperIn an ebonised frame35 x 47cm overallCf. another version of this work sold Christies, Oak, Country Furniture and works of art, lot 47, 7th November 2006

    Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
  • GEORGE SMART (England, 1774-1846), Cut fabric, leather and watercolor collage depicting Old Bright, the postman., 10.5” x 8.25”. Framed 12” x 9.75”.
    May. 27, 2021

    GEORGE SMART (England, 1774-1846), Cut fabric, leather and watercolor collage depicting Old Bright, the postman., 10.5” x 8.25”. Framed 12” x 9.75”.

    Est: $400 - $800

    GEORGE SMART England, 1774-1846 Cut fabric, leather and watercolor collage depicting Old Bright, the postman. Unsigned. Original label on verso marked "G. Smart, Maker of Cloth & Velvet Figures, Frant, Near Tunbridge Wells. ...".

    Eldred's
  • Songs.- Smart (George, publisher) The Vocal Pocket Companion, engraved throughout on cards with musical notation, G.Smart, [?1789] & others (3)
    Jun. 09, 2020

    Songs.- Smart (George, publisher) The Vocal Pocket Companion, engraved throughout on cards with musical notation, G.Smart, [?1789] & others (3)

    Est: £300 - £500

    Songs.- Smart (George, publisher) The Vocal Pocket Companion, being a new Collection of the most Favorite Catches, Cannons, Glees and Duetts, for Two Three and Four Voices, Composed by...Dr.Cooke, Danby, Finesche, Webbe, Callcott &c &c, engraved throughout on 34 cards with title, index and pp.3-52 of musical notation, most printed on both sides, thumb-soiling to edges of first three cards, loose as issued in orange board slip-case, titled in manuscript on upper cover, rubbed, some joints worn, G.Smart, [?1789] § Merry Companion (The): or, Universal Songster, second edition, engraved frontispiece, title with small tear to fore-edge, O5 defective at lower outer corner with loss to text, contemporary sheep, gilt, manuscript label chipped, a little worn, Ward & Chandler, 1742; and another, oblong 8vo & 12mo (3) ⁂ Both scarce, with only 2 UK copies of each listed by Library Hub and ESTC respectively (BL and Oxford University in both cases).

    Forum Auctions - UK
  • George Smart (British, 1774-1846): A cut felt and painted picture
    Oct. 18, 2016

    George Smart (British, 1774-1846): A cut felt and painted picture

    Est: £800 - £1,200

    George Smart (British, 1774-1846): A cut felt and painted picture of 'The Earth Stopper'

    Bonhams
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