Art Work In The Mess
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There is IIRC an original David Shepherd Battle of Britain painting hanging in the foyer of OASC. Adjacent the the cheesy semi abstract portraits of recent AFC winners. Read the Shepherd biography and he would have you believe that there is more of his work then the late Eric Day in RAF circles, and Erics work seems to be everywhere. For me, Bentley Priory was the centre of Aviation Art excellence, second only the the RAF Club. I visited BP Mess (FLAC Cse) in the last few months of ownership and photographed pretty much all the treasures within for archive reference. These days it is individual sqns rather then Messes that have the good collections, indicative I believe of how these days the Mess has long lost the kudos it once held. Army Messes seem to be bulging with silverware presented by departing COs, another tradition lost in the light blue circles.
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Couldn't some of the artwork be put into an exhibition? Is seems a shame for it to be in store.
Is the artwork quality good enough for a gallery at Hendon or the Imperial War Museum?
Is the artwork quality good enough for a gallery at Hendon or the Imperial War Museum?
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The reason that I was able to see the RAFM display was because they had it out as a specific exhibition on the first floor at Hendon. They do not display it all the time, I am told is due to a) Tealeaves that would have work away versus b) the staffing required to monitor (protect) the collection during opening hours.
My opinion is that the thousands of Galleries around the world cope with the same problems, yet keep the doors open with what appears to be the minimum of human security backed up by electronic surveliance. If the Mona Lisa can be on display I am quite sure that the RAFM Collection could be. It would also add an extra dimension to a RAFM visit.
That said, the last 2 visits that I have made (in about the last 5 years) have both seen aircraft collections (WW1 hangar 'Grahame-White Factory' both times & BofB hangar once) closed to the public. The reason given for having the Graham-White factory closed on both occasions was staffing. Have to say that a visit involves considerable expense & travelling time, and I find that same answer a bit weak if I am honest.
The GAvA have an art display in 1 hangar at RAFM Cosford which changes on occasion. Ronald Wongs work is awesome but balanced by some average to say the least works by others. In the north of england there is the Manchester Aviation Art Group and in the south the Solent Aviation Artists both of whome may be able to provide works of suitable standard and subject for loan to Messes.
My opinion is that the thousands of Galleries around the world cope with the same problems, yet keep the doors open with what appears to be the minimum of human security backed up by electronic surveliance. If the Mona Lisa can be on display I am quite sure that the RAFM Collection could be. It would also add an extra dimension to a RAFM visit.
That said, the last 2 visits that I have made (in about the last 5 years) have both seen aircraft collections (WW1 hangar 'Grahame-White Factory' both times & BofB hangar once) closed to the public. The reason given for having the Graham-White factory closed on both occasions was staffing. Have to say that a visit involves considerable expense & travelling time, and I find that same answer a bit weak if I am honest.
The GAvA have an art display in 1 hangar at RAFM Cosford which changes on occasion. Ronald Wongs work is awesome but balanced by some average to say the least works by others. In the north of england there is the Manchester Aviation Art Group and in the south the Solent Aviation Artists both of whome may be able to provide works of suitable standard and subject for loan to Messes.
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I'd second the advice given above - document all artwork properly, it's a right pain if you don't and something goes missing.
Also, make sure that valuations are updated regularly (I have a dim memory of every five years or so being suggested) and that this is done properly.
Anyone who stayed at RAF Henlow from the 60s to the 90s may recall the large paintings of the Taj Mahal that used to adorn one end of the Officers' Mess dining room. Every few years they were re-assessed for insurance purposes, with their identification as being by William Daniell and being worth a few £k. Then, around about 15 years ago, a new and rather keener and more observant art expert was brought in to look at the paintings, who apparently got to the Taj Mahal pics and went "***ing hell, those aren't by William, they're by his uncle Thomas Daniell and worth about half a million quid!" Insurance costs meant they had to come down and got auctioned off, which is why Henlow was (and probably still is, unless all the money was in Icelandic banks) very well off as RAF messes go.
Henlow also has some David Shepherd pictures, in the form of small paintings of aircraft associated with the site. In case anyone wonders why they are so small, they were originally painted as place mats back in the early 60s and were used as such for several years until it dawned on someone that people were taking their soup off original Shepherds! Incidentally, when I was House Member there I got to read the artwork file and found that there were originally about 30 of them, but that a dozen went missing in the 1980s whilst in storage when the ante-rooms were being redecorated. Someone, somewhere, has a nice set of David Shepherd aircraft paintings hidden away...
Also, make sure that valuations are updated regularly (I have a dim memory of every five years or so being suggested) and that this is done properly.
Anyone who stayed at RAF Henlow from the 60s to the 90s may recall the large paintings of the Taj Mahal that used to adorn one end of the Officers' Mess dining room. Every few years they were re-assessed for insurance purposes, with their identification as being by William Daniell and being worth a few £k. Then, around about 15 years ago, a new and rather keener and more observant art expert was brought in to look at the paintings, who apparently got to the Taj Mahal pics and went "***ing hell, those aren't by William, they're by his uncle Thomas Daniell and worth about half a million quid!" Insurance costs meant they had to come down and got auctioned off, which is why Henlow was (and probably still is, unless all the money was in Icelandic banks) very well off as RAF messes go.
Henlow also has some David Shepherd pictures, in the form of small paintings of aircraft associated with the site. In case anyone wonders why they are so small, they were originally painted as place mats back in the early 60s and were used as such for several years until it dawned on someone that people were taking their soup off original Shepherds! Incidentally, when I was House Member there I got to read the artwork file and found that there were originally about 30 of them, but that a dozen went missing in the 1980s whilst in storage when the ante-rooms were being redecorated. Someone, somewhere, has a nice set of David Shepherd aircraft paintings hidden away...
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On a side from the official mess side of things. During GW1 we were stationed in Bahrain, in the old Maharak buldings, (10 Sqn). We spent some 5 weeks on rotation but before we went some pretty good artwork was put on the walls of the crewroom, (spemer this or that, depending on what happened during that detachment). The morale killers came out and decided that all the walls needed cleaning and redecoration, (it did not conform to magnolia tints), and all the excellent painting was lost. Probably because it did not look like the Diplomat colours!
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a dozen went missing in the 1980s whilst in storage when the ante-rooms were being redecorated. Someone, somewhere, has a nice set of David Shepherd aircraft paintings hidden away...
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I've got a 3ft by 2ft Eric Day picture of 2 Canberra T17's... one inverted "somewhere over the North Sea" A representation of an incident that saw the 2 JP's at the time taking about 30 mins to regain formation.....it's a bit grey and miserable which is a pretty good representation of the reality of the Coffee Charlies.... You can borrow that it you like... anyone have any idea of what a Day circa 1982 work is worth? 
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When I was OC PMS at Wittering I recommended that the Shepherd paintings (Victor taking off in the rain IIRC was one of them - think the other was a Valiant) not be insured.
This was on the advice of the insurers who reckoned that, for a Mess of our size, it was uneconomic to insure a priceless painting. At the time we had combo locks on the Mess doors and heightened anti-IRA security so they reckoned that was more than enough. Obviously not good enough to stop some greedy 2star nicking them for his personal office.
On another subject, whilst not art per se, I remember a number of steam locomotive number plates from the Southern "Battle of Britain" class adorning various walls when OASC was at Biggin Hill. Whatever happened to them because a genuine plate will go for 25 - 40,000 quid nowadays?
This was on the advice of the insurers who reckoned that, for a Mess of our size, it was uneconomic to insure a priceless painting. At the time we had combo locks on the Mess doors and heightened anti-IRA security so they reckoned that was more than enough. Obviously not good enough to stop some greedy 2star nicking them for his personal office.
On another subject, whilst not art per se, I remember a number of steam locomotive number plates from the Southern "Battle of Britain" class adorning various walls when OASC was at Biggin Hill. Whatever happened to them because a genuine plate will go for 25 - 40,000 quid nowadays?
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More applicable to Army and Navy readers then RAF (having read the text) but this may be of interest to some:
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Defence Estate and Environment | MOD Art Collection | Ministry of Defence Art Collection
I didnt know such a thing existed.
Seems like its hidden from serving members also!
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Defence Estate and Environment | MOD Art Collection | Ministry of Defence Art Collection
I didnt know such a thing existed.
The Ministry Of Defence Art Collection is a fascinating and extensive archive, owned by the taxpayer but often hidden from pubic view behind official walls.
Gentleman Aviator
Having recently visited a crab air mess, wouldn't a Banksy sit rather well
Yes, Banksy will do nicely thanks!
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Mess Pictures
Many moons ago I was Pictures Member at CHOM and had to undertake a stock check of the pictures and discovered that quite a few were on loan from Hendon. I went several times to rotate them with their stock and was amazed at the number available. Get in contact with them and get some on loan. Watch out for the insurance though, CHOM had several on loan which had been borrowed by the AOC & Cmdt for the Lodge to the tune of 35K and you should have seen the look on his face when I told him they weren't covered by his house insurance.!
number of steam locomotive number plates from the Southern "Battle of Britain" class
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Akrotiri recently had their wide-screen TV removed from the Mess. RMP involved.
I assume it was worth more than any of the paintings, even the special 'ghostly head' picture.
I assume it was worth more than any of the paintings, even the special 'ghostly head' picture.
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A visit here: ..with your speaker switched on.
BBC NEWS | UK | Audio slideshow: War through an artist's eyes
is worth spending 3.5 mins of your life, and the RAF get a look in too. It perhaps emphasizes the importance of remembering or preserving today for the eyes of tomorrow; and for reasons that I cannot quantify, artwork seems to grasp something that the camera cannot.
BBC NEWS | UK | Audio slideshow: War through an artist's eyes
is worth spending 3.5 mins of your life, and the RAF get a look in too. It perhaps emphasizes the importance of remembering or preserving today for the eyes of tomorrow; and for reasons that I cannot quantify, artwork seems to grasp something that the camera cannot.
A number of years ago I was involved in a study into deployments that required that we visit a wide variety of RAF units and talk to the senior execs to get their views on what was required. As a result I sat in the offices of a number of squadron commanders as well as visting crewrooms and was struck by the wealth of artwork that was around that I was certainly unaware existed and was rarely seen by the outside world. My thought at the time was that there was plenty of good material for a glossy 'coffee table' book of paintings of the RAF - perhaps it is something that the RAFBF or similar might like to consider?
Teeteringhead
You're absolutely right - the appreciation in value may just assist in filling a couple of Typhoons' fuel tanks for one last flypast before disbandment. Then we can take the base to put our tanks in when we're brought home from Germany, paint over the Banksy and put up some decent oils.
M
You're absolutely right - the appreciation in value may just assist in filling a couple of Typhoons' fuel tanks for one last flypast before disbandment. Then we can take the base to put our tanks in when we're brought home from Germany, paint over the Banksy and put up some decent oils.
M