Specialist Sales Offer A Splash Of Spring Colour

The days are getting longer, new buds are beginning to appear and birds are singing again. Spring is in the air and McTear’s is preparing for the new season ahead with six bright and beautiful March sales.   

First up in March is the Scottish Contemporary Art Auction on 2 March.  Vibrant hues and bold colours are the order of the day, with impressive works by icons of Scottish art, Jack Vettriano, John Byrne, John Bellany and Jolomo set to feature amongst the 266 lots. 

Byrne’s stunning oil, ‘Boy with a Blackbird’, is estimated to fetch between £8,000 and £12,000 while a rare oil by Jack Vettriano, under his born name Jack Hogan, could sell for £4,000.

Friday 3 March will get off to a spirited start with some of the world’s finest drams going under the hammer in the Whisky: Liquid Masterpieces auction.  The 500 lot sale will feature a number of fine examples of the Macallan, with a highly collectable bottle of the distillery’s Private Eye expression, complete with colourful label by legendary cartoonist, Ralph Steadman, estimated to fetch between £3,500 to £4,500.

Scottish paintings and rare stamps will share the spotlight on 15 March.   The small, but perfectly formed, Scottish Pictures auction will feature 47 lots of exquisitely curated oils and watercolours, with the magnificent Catterline Seascape by Joan Eardley (estimate £20,000 to £30,000), already attracting interest from across the globe. 

Giants of Scottish art including Sir John Lavery and colourists George Leslie Hunter and Samuel John Peploe, will also feature in the sale. 

McTear’s has sold numerous high profile stamp collections over the years, and now Scotland’s favourite auctioneer is offering its first dedicated sale, with a selection of rare and unusual lots sure to attract the attention of prominent philatelists from across the UK and overseas.  

The Fine Life: Silver & Luxury Accessories auction on 16 March will feature some of the world’s top luxury brands including Hermes and Cartier, along with luxurious items from Imperial Russia.  A stunning 1908 cloisonne enamel cigarette case by Russian court favourite Pavel Ovchinnikov, could fetch £2,500.

Leaving Imperial Russia, we then move to mid 20^th Century England, with a selection of iconic Ercol tables and chairs sitting alongside elegant pieces representing the earlier Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Arts & Crafts movements in the Life in Style: 19th & 20th Century Design auction on the afternoon of 16 March.

Rounding off the March programme will be the Jewellery and Asian Art Auctions on Friday 17 March.  While diamonds and emeralds will sparkle in the morning sale, the afternoon auction will see Chinese dynastic jade shine in the auction spotlight.  

A Qing Dynasty pale carved celadon figure of two ducks feeding is estimated to fetch between £400 and £800, while a selection of intricately woven Persian rugs will end the March specialist sales with a splash of spring colour.

Advice on selling art, antiques, jewellery, watches, coins, whisky and more is free and without obligation. Entries are invited for all our 2023 specialist sales. To discuss consigning to a McTear's auction, make an appointment to visit our Glasgow Galleries or contact a specialist by clicking this link and completing the short form.