James Seymour

Barbara McNeill, Viscountess Ward of Witley (1921-1980);
Sold by order of her executors, London, Christie's, 26th June 1981, lot 15;
With Richard Green, London

STRUCTURE The canvas has been lined. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in good condition. There is some minor paint loss in the lower centre, as a result of craquelure, but otherwise their does not appear to be any further extant damage or loss of paint. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals extensive scattered minor infilling to craquelure and retouching throughout. The painting does not appear to have sustained any major structural damage however and the retouching appears to be purely aesthetic. FRAME Held in a carved and gilded British Baroque style frame. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com, or Ludo Shaw Stewart on +44 (0)207 293 5816, or at ludovic.shawstewart@sothebys.com.
"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."

Crab was a grey colt foaled in 1722 by the Alcock Arabian out of a mare by Basto. He was bred by Mr Pelham of Brocklesby and raced variously by Lord Manners, Mr Thomas Panton and Mr Cotton with considerable success. He is only known to have suffered two defeats in his career, and his best win was probably the defeat of another grey, Victorious and Spot for the King's Plate at Newmarket on 10^th April 1729.

As a stallion he belonged to Lord Portmore and was again a considerable success. His historical importance lies in the fact that he was the great grandsire of Aimwell, the winner of the Derby in 1785. Aimwell is the only English Classic winner not to descend in the conventional great bloodlines of The Byerley Turk, The Darley Arabian, and The Godolphin Arabian, and it is through Crab that The Alcock Arabian has this unique position as their only rival.

Because of his achievements, Crab became a popular choice of name for greys in the period, and there are several other Crabs recorded in the General Stud Book. Consequently, Seymour's subject is often referred to as Old Crab to distinguish him from the others. Crab died on Christmas Day in 1750.