GEORGE JAMES FRAMPTON | Peter Pan

private collection, Scotland, United Kingdom;
Sotheby's London, 11 December 2014, lot 80

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some slight greening to the patina, including to the terrasse. The extreme tips of the pipes may have been slightly knocked. There are a few very small chips and abrasions to the marble base.
"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."

The present cast is a particularly fine one which was sold in these rooms in 2014 and came from a private Scottish family collection. It was purchased by the consignor's great grandparents around 1916, when they acquired a large residence near Glasgow, which was remodelled for the family by the fashionable early 20th-century architect Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer. The present sculpture would have represented a stylish addition to the house, as Frampton's Peter Pan was one of the most popular sculptures in Britain at the time. Glasgow was a centre of the Arts and Crafts movement, with numerous exhibitions being held at the Kelvingrove Museum. 'The New Sculpture' was closely related to the Arts and Crafts and so it is of little surprise that the bronze entered into the collection of a prominent Glasgow family at this time. The presence of the bronze in the hands of one family for almost a century provides explanation for its very good condition.