Laurence Lowry's view of the murky Irwell cost the buyer £1,408,000, more than Mr Lowry earned in his life. The citizens of Bury will receive (after, commissions, taxes, insurances, carriage, packing) £1,250,000, a fair return on their investment of £175 in 1951 when £500 was a good annual salary.
If he is in heaven, Mr. Lowry's twinkling blue eyes will be smiling.
It was in the late fifties when I first knew Mr Lowry. Like him I used to haunt the Manchester Art Gallery on Mosley Street, a step from my father's office in George Street - adjacent to the lift shaft down to the Regional Command Centre being silently and secretly hewed out from under Manchester's City Centre.
Friendly and chatty he taught me about the pre-Raphaelites, (of which it transpired he was a canny buyer) showed me the techniques, told stories about them, swooned over the women, and bought me cups of tea in the cafe overlooking Princess Street. He would ask me to get extra sugar cubes and pocketed them - he had a sweet tooth and nature to match.
Years later I bought a gouache of central Mottram and Battle Hill where Lowry lived, from the Tib Lane Gallery by Pat Gerard, her first ever commercial sale. She was then a teacher at Altrincham Girls Grammar School and as a child lived a few doors down from Mr Lowry - one of his young girl friends.
Through her I met him again, older, testy, suspicious of the art critics, dealers, collectors, he was happy to take their money.
His fame amazes me, it would have mystified him. The Lowry industry would have disgusted him, it's architects and saprophytes even more so.
His paintings were a jumble of canvas, wood and paint - take them or leave them was his view.
It would of course be delightful - and Mr Lowry would have enyoyed it - if the burghers of Bury used the proceeds to buy some more pictures from local artists of local interest.
They won't, they'll simply piss it up against the wall.
Bury Art Gallery & Museum is on the delighfully named Paradise Street and is well worth a visit - Local paper manufacturer and business magnate Thomas Wrigley' family gave his collection of Victorian art, to the town in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. There are some magnificent pictures from the Stott family - but no Pre-Raphaelites - Wrigley disliked them.
They have anew exhibition which opened tonight with a bun fight
IDEAS is a selling show, the ideal place to find Christmas gifts with a bit of a difference. This exhibition showcases work by some of the North West's most innovative contemporary designers and artists. A diverse range of original designs are featured in a variety of media and material.
There will be a special launch of the exhibition on 17 November, 6pm to 8pm. Please join us for a glass of wine and take advantage of the 10% discount we will be offering for items in the show.
There are some beautiful handbags.
