BEN NICHOLSON | 1956 (cloverleaf)

Gimpel Fils, London, where acquired by Ben F. Williams, July 1957, and thence by descent to the present owners
 

London, Gimpel Fils Gallery Ltd, Recent Works by Ben Nicholson, June 1957, cat. no.24;
Raleigh, The North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Collects, 10th - 29th October 1967;
Raleigh, The North Carolina Museum of Art, 20th Century British Works on Paper, 12th June - 13th September 1984.

There are elements of paper collage to the board that appear securely adhered. The board is very slightly bowed but appears sound. There is a very small inconsistency to the surface of the board towards the middle of the extreme left edge, only visible upon close inspection. There is a small crease to the extreme lower left corner and some very minor rounding to the other extreme corners. There is a very small area to the lower left of centre where the paper has slightly rubbed through, with two more minor examples to the collage element just above this area and one towards the upper right corner. There is faint staining due to a previous mount visible upon close inspection towards the edges, with the upper edge most pronounced. The pigments may have faded very slightly. There are possible very small accretions and instances of studio matter in one or two places and some light surface dust. This excepting, the work appears in very good overall condition. The work is held loose in a slip backing board and behind glass in a painted wooden frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

We are grateful to Dr Lee Beard for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.  Dr Lee Beard is currently preparing the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the Artist’s work and would like to hear from owners of any work by the Artist so that these can be included in this comprehensive catalogue. Please write to Dr Lee Beard, c/o Sotheby’s Modern & Post-War British Art, London, W1A 2AA or email modbrit@sothebys.com