Aviation painting sells for £47,000!
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Aviation painting sells for £47,000!
A painting commissioned by legendary aviator and Spitfire Test Pilot Alex Henshaw MBE sold for £47,000 at last night’s Schneider Trophy Banquet at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon.
The painting ‘Birth of a Legend’, by leading aviation (and motor-racing) artist Michael Turner, depicts the prototype Spitfire flying over the Supermarine hangar at Eastleigh, watched by its designer R.J.Mitchell standing beside his black and yellow Rolls Royce, Chief Test Pilot Geoffrey Quill and others.
This year is the 70th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire in March 1936. Alex Henshaw is now a spritely 93 years.
There were several bidders up to £25k, but excitement and began to mount as the bidding, which had started at £10,000, went over £30,000, building to a crescendo with only two bidders left – one at the Banquet and one by telephone.
The hammer eventually fell (or, more accurately, the auctioneer tapped his microphone) at £47,000!
The name of the proud owner remains anonymous – the telephone bidding was conducted by a lawyer in America on behalf of an undisclosed client.
There was naturally considerable speculation about who it might be. Who has such a keen interest in aviation and enough money to indulge his passion to that extent?
Two names suggested most frequently were John Tavolta and Tom Cruise, with Travolta generally considered the more likely.
The auction of various aviation-related lots and a raffle raised about £74,000 and, in total the evening raised about £100,000 for the Museum and the Air League.
Those of us of more modest means have the opportunity to enjoy the painting and save £46,850 - 250 limited edition prints, numbered and signed by both Alex Henshaw and Michael Turner are available from the Air League for £150.
Mods:
I fully understand if this has to be redirected to the Aviation History forum. I thought the enormous price might be worthy of a mention in the News forum first.
FL
The painting ‘Birth of a Legend’, by leading aviation (and motor-racing) artist Michael Turner, depicts the prototype Spitfire flying over the Supermarine hangar at Eastleigh, watched by its designer R.J.Mitchell standing beside his black and yellow Rolls Royce, Chief Test Pilot Geoffrey Quill and others.
This year is the 70th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire in March 1936. Alex Henshaw is now a spritely 93 years.
There were several bidders up to £25k, but excitement and began to mount as the bidding, which had started at £10,000, went over £30,000, building to a crescendo with only two bidders left – one at the Banquet and one by telephone.
The hammer eventually fell (or, more accurately, the auctioneer tapped his microphone) at £47,000!
The name of the proud owner remains anonymous – the telephone bidding was conducted by a lawyer in America on behalf of an undisclosed client.
There was naturally considerable speculation about who it might be. Who has such a keen interest in aviation and enough money to indulge his passion to that extent?
Two names suggested most frequently were John Tavolta and Tom Cruise, with Travolta generally considered the more likely.
The auction of various aviation-related lots and a raffle raised about £74,000 and, in total the evening raised about £100,000 for the Museum and the Air League.
Those of us of more modest means have the opportunity to enjoy the painting and save £46,850 - 250 limited edition prints, numbered and signed by both Alex Henshaw and Michael Turner are available from the Air League for £150.
Mods:
I fully understand if this has to be redirected to the Aviation History forum. I thought the enormous price might be worthy of a mention in the News forum first.
FL
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What a nice picture FL!
The Spit looks pretty modern compared with most of the ships on the ground.
Somewhere I have a copy of 'Sigh for a Merlin' by Alex Henshaw - it's amazing he lived through some of the stunts and accidents he had. I often wondered if he would have preferred to be in the fighting though.
FC.
The Spit looks pretty modern compared with most of the ships on the ground.
Somewhere I have a copy of 'Sigh for a Merlin' by Alex Henshaw - it's amazing he lived through some of the stunts and accidents he had. I often wondered if he would have preferred to be in the fighting though.
FC.
Buzz off with BAF!!
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What a nice picture FL!
The Spit looks pretty modern compared with most of the ships on the ground.
Somewhere I have a copy of 'Sigh for a Merlin' by Alex Henshaw - it's amazing he lived through some of the stunts and accidents he had. I often wondered if he would have preferred to be in the fighting though.
FC.
The Spit looks pretty modern compared with most of the ships on the ground.
Somewhere I have a copy of 'Sigh for a Merlin' by Alex Henshaw - it's amazing he lived through some of the stunts and accidents he had. I often wondered if he would have preferred to be in the fighting though.
FC.
Met him a couple of years ago when he gave a lecture at the RAeS.
It was quite strange that someone who has done so much, and through such an historic period should be standing there talking about it as though it were yesterday.
A very erudite and inspiring man.
England could do with more like him now!
Do you have any contact details for the print? I've trawled the Air League site without any luck.
Thanks!
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Mitchell's Rolls-Royce
The (claimed) chassis and some bodywork of Reginald Mitchell's Royce turned up at auction just a handful of years ago, and attracted very little interest.
If only I'd had the readies... :-((
'b
If only I'd had the readies... :-((
'b
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John
There's a link on the Air League site now.
I won't post it here because it's a link to a gallery marketing the print.
The Air League will receive a percentage of the income from sales.
I'll email you.
Tudor
There's a link on the Air League site now.
I won't post it here because it's a link to a gallery marketing the print.
The Air League will receive a percentage of the income from sales.
I'll email you.
Tudor
