BEN NICHOLSON, O.M. | Spanner

Gifted by the Artist to Geoffrey and Jane Grigson
Phillips London, 16 June 1986, lot 124

The collaged element is securely adhered to the board. There is a small pinhole to the paper in the extreme lower right corner. The board is slightly unevenly cut, with some minor nicks along the left edge and some slight rounding to the corners. There is some minor discolouration to the Artist's board near the lower left edge of the sheet and in the upper right quadrant, with one or two further spots elsewhere. The sheet is slightly discoloured. There are one or two spots of studio matter and detritus. This excepting the work appears to be in very good overall condition. The work is held behind glass in a simple wooden frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

We are grateful to Prof. Lee Beard for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work. Geoffrey Grigson was a British poet and critic, who knew Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth while living in Hampstead in the 1930s. An editor of the magazine New Verse, he produced several collections of poetry, and wrote extensively on a range of subjects including art, travel and the countryside.  He was married to Jane McIntire Grigson, who was a British food writer, publishing several cookery books including Jane Grigson's Book of British Cookery (Atheneum, 1985).