British Cool reigns supreme at Bonhams New Bond Street sale

LONDON.- Bonhams’ popular British. Cool. sale returns to New Bond Street on Thursday 3 March, featuring an array of cool items – from artworks, photographs, and popular cultural memorabilia to fashion pieces, prints, and even a one-of-a-kind Pop Art Bentley designed by Sir Peter Blake (estimate: £300,000-400,000). With 2022 being the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, one of the stand-out lots of the sale is Chris Levine’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, Lightness of Being (Crystal Edition), which has an estimate of £8,000-12,000. Other highlights include a London 2012 Olympic torch carried by David Beckham (estimate: £20,000-30,000), and a hyper-realist drawing of Kate Moss, created exclusively for the sale by Kelvin Okafor (estimate: £10,000 - 15,000).

Janet Hardie, Head of Sale, commented: “We are delighted to be bringing back British. Cool. this year, and to be offering such an array of wonderful items which truly capture the diverse cultural spirt of the nation. It is particularly exciting to be collaborating with the incredibly talented Kelvin Okafor, and to be able to offer his striking pencil drawing of Kate Moss alongside Chris Levine’s captivating portrait of Queen Elizabeth II – undoubtedly two of the most iconic cultural faces of Britain.”

Highlights of the sale include:

• A group of tables by the Danad Design collective (lots 15 - 22). The group included Peter Blake, Robyn Denny, Tom Adams, Barry Daniels and Edward Wright, as well as the architects Colin Huntley and Peter Adams, who lived and worked in a dilapidated Georgian country house in Hertfordshire called Marden Hill between 1958-1962. They put Pop Art designs on furniture and other everyday items and were revolutionary in their use of design and materials. However, it was only in 2014, when a treasure trove of hidden artwork was discovered in the basement of Marden Hill, that the collective’s true legacy came to light. The selection offered in the sale features a number of these finds, including Sir Peter Blake’s Tattooed Lady Table (Estimate: £3,000 - 5,000).

• Diamond Jacks The Original Neon 'TATTOOIST' Street-Sign, 1985. Estimate: £10,000-15,000. Offered directly by tattoo artist and studio owner, Darryl Gates.

Diamond Jacks was Soho's longest running tattoo parlour. A world-famous tattoo studio, it was originally set up by tattooist Dennis Cockell in 1985 under his own name and was the first ever fully registered and licensed tattoo studio in the heart of Soho, London. Dennis was at the forefront of introducing tattoos to a younger, hipper crowd, starting in the 1970s. The studio was later acquired by Darryl Gates in 2003, who had worked at Diamond Jacks full-time since 2001 after having left his career in the music industry.

The studio offered traditional, punk-rock, sailor and Japanese-styled tattoos. Over the years, both Dennis and Darryl have tattooed people from all walks of life and from all around the world, including many from the music, entertainment and arts industry. Some of Dennis' highlights include, Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, Nick Cave, Paula Yates, Adam Ant, Dee Dee Ramone, Bananarama and The Stray Cats (including their logo); with some of Darryl's being Pete Doherty (responsible for the well-known skull and crossbones as featured on The Libertines' album cover), past and present members of Florence & the Machine, and members of the Arctic Monkeys – to name a few.

• Kelvin Okafor (born 1985), Kate Moss, 2022. Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000. Hyper-realist artist Kelvin Okafor (born 1985) specialises in pencil portraits.

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• The world's first and only British Pop Art Bentley – A unique Continental GT V8 S Convertible which is the result of a collaboration between Bentley Motors and the godfather of British Pop Art, Sir Peter Blake, 2016. Estimate: £300,000-400,000.

• A London 2012 Olympic Torch Carried By David Beckham To Commence The Torch Relay. Estimate: £20,000-30,000.

• Banksy (born 1974), Girl with Balloon, 2004. Numbered 133/600 in pencil. Screenprint in black and red. Estimate: £80,000-120,000.

• Two works by Yinka Ilori M.B.E. (British/Nigerian, born 1987), Stay With Me - Series 1, 2022, each 25 x 25cm (9 13/16 x 9 13/16in), (4) (unframed), estimate: £2,000 - 3,000, and Stay With Me - Series 2, 2022, each 25 x 25cm (9 13/16 x 9 13/16in), (4) (unframed), estimate: £2,000 - 3,000.

• Tim Noble and Sue Webster (British, born 1966 and 1966), Nihilistic Optimistic, 2012 (number two from the edition of three). Estimate: £25,000-35,000.

• Grayson Perry (British, born 1960) Vote Labour, 2014 39cm (15 3/8in) long. Unique. Estimate: £15,000-25,000. This work was created by the artist for the Labour Election Gala Dinner, July 2014, where acquired by the present owner.

• Terry O’Neill, Michael Caine on the set of ‘Get Carter’, 1970. Estimate: £2,500-3,500.

• Vivienne Westwood, ‘Harris Tweed’ Crown, Autumn/Winter 1987-88. Estimate: £800-1,200.

• Richard Ansett (British, born 1966), Grayson Perry: Big American Road Trip #1, 2020. This work is from the edition of 8 published by Tim Williams Fine Art and the artist with his blindstamp. Estimate: £600 – 800.