Ronald Searle: A Strange Procession

For the occasion of a christening held in St. James's, London, on November 24, 1951, cartoonist Ronald Searle created a presentation drawing for the child's family. The paper backing the frame is inscribed, "With love from Kaye & Ronald Searle" so it seems the Searles framed the drawing themselves before giving it to the recipients. The child depicted is attended by four girls, two of whom are clearly winged angels. They are easily recognized as Searle's popular St. Trinian's girls by their trademark black stockings. The drawing, which has some color, was sold yesterday at Sworders in the Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

"A strange procession
seen passing into
Saint James' thiſ day
Novemb^r 24 1951."
Ronald Searle

"A strange procession

seen passing into

Saint James' thiſ day

Novemb^r 24 1951."

Ronald Searle

Framed original art

"With love from Kaye & Ronald Searle"

Ronald Searle
Sworders item presale description accessed April 7, 2024

https://www.sworder.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-200---ronald-searle-1920-2011/?lot=496

443&so=0&st=searle&sto=0&au=&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=96&pn=1&g=1

Sold!

04613

Ronald Searle: Design for the Souls in Torment at St. Trinian's Handkerchief

Ronald Searle's collection Souls in Torment was published by Perpetua, his own publishing house, in 1953. The following year came the children's handkerchief, because every schoolgirl celebrates her soul being in torment.

Ronald Searle
Souls in Torment at St. Trinian's
Design for a Sefton's children's handkerchief, 1954

http://www.liveauctioneers.com...

Sworders November 19, 2013 Sale

When this was sold at Sworders in 2013, its provenance was listed as Chris Beetles Gallery in London. Presumably it was repurchased by the gallery at Sworders because it was back there the following November for The Illustrators: The British Art of Illustration 1800-2014.

Ronald Searle
Souls in Torment at St. Trinian's
Design for a Sefton's children's handkerchief, 1954

Ronald Searle
The Illustrators:  The British Art of Illustration 1800-2014
Chris Beetles Gallery, London

https://issuu.com/chrisbeetles/docs/full_catalogue/195

Note:  Say, does anyone possess a vintage example of this hanky?

How about an printed price list from the 2014 show The Illustrators? I ask specifically regarding catalogue no. 254, the design for the Souls in Torment St. Trinian's handkerchief. I would expect the gallery to have offered the piece at about twice what it paid, their customary practice.

For more on Searle's St. Trinian's work, start with Matt Jones's 2006 post "St. Trinian's part 1" (of 4) on Perpetua, the Ronald Searle Tribute blog, here.

Ronald Searle's centenary will be celebrated next week on Tuesday, March 3. Be sure to wear your school uniform.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Ronald Searle

St. Trinian's

Chris Beetles

Attempted Bloggery's Hankering Index

03183

Searle at Sworders

It's just like England to have a venerable auction house established in 1782 that I never heard of. I turn to Sworders today because they have just sold two drawings by Ronald Searle from the early 1950's. By this time, Searle had changed all the rules for what constituted an acceptable humorous gag, and in the process catapulted to the top of his field.

There will always be those who see girlhood in terms of its innocence and the Christmas tradition in terms of sentiment. Searle will have none of that. I can't even begin to explain what's funny about the first drawing of three St. Trinian's schoolgirls, but something has gone horribly wrong in the upbringing of these children. Searle, a former prisoner-of-war, revels in his depiction of remorseless childhood cruelty, and we, his co-conspirators, go along with it. 

Lot 832 Description:

*Ronald Searle (b.1920) THREE ST. TRINIAN`S SCHOOLGIRLS. Signed l.r. with initials and inscribed l.l. `for Oscar Pollak from the artist Sept 1950`, pen and ink, 11 x 8cm. *Artist`s resale rights may apply to this lot.

• Price Realised: £1,650
• Estimate: £300
  http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/sworders/catalogue-id-2849954/lot-12669435

Lot 833 Description:

*Ronald Searle (b.1920) CAROL SINGING. Signed and dated 1952 l.r., inscribed verso `design for a Christmas card`, pen and ink and watercolour, 26 x 33cm. Exhibited: Chris Beetles, London, `The Illustrators, The British Art of Illustration 1800-1991`, no. 542. *Artist`s resale rights may apply to this lot.

Estimate:

£1,000

• Price Realised: £3,100
  
  

http://www.the-saleroom.rs/catalogue-id-2849954/lot-12com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/sworde669436

The drawing Carol Singing is just wonderful in how it upends our notions of Christmas revelry. Three children and a dog regale an elderly, deaf woman with Christmas carols, and there's not a smile in the bunch. Even the dog is unhappy.

As the lot description notes, these unhappy carolers appeared in Chris Beetles's 1991 sale catalogue as no. 542. 'Tis the season to note that the next item in that catalogue, no. 543, turns the tables on Santa:

Ronald Searle,  One for You, One for Me

http://one1more2time3.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/12searle0118.jpg

Sale Date

• 28 Nov 2011 1pm
• 29 Nov 2011 10am

Venue Address

• Stansted Mountfitchet Salerooms
• Cambridge Road
• Stansted Mountfitchet
• Essex
• CM24 8GE
• United Kingdom

May 12, 2012 Update:  Both drawings from this auction are currently offered for sale by London art dealer Chris Beetles in his exhibition Ronald Searle Remembered, May 22 - June 9, 2012. The drawing of the three St. Trinian's Schoolgirls is available at 4,500 GBP. Sworders lots carry a 20% buyer's premium, so the dealer markup is 127% above cost.  


Carol Singing sold at auction at Sworders for  3,100 GBP, or 3,720 GBP with the buyer's premium. The current selling price of 7,500 GBP therefore represents a markup of 102%.

Item 47, Ronald Searle Remembered exhibition sale price, Chris Beetles Gallery, May 22 - June 9, 2012

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/cartoon/st-trinians-schoolgirls.html

Item 153, Ronald Searle Remembered catalogue, Chris Beetles Gallery, May 22 - June 9, 2012

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/flash_book/ronald-searle-12/index.html

Item 153, Ronald Searle Remembered exhibition sale price, Chris Beetles Gallery, May 11 - June 9, 2012

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/children/carol-singing.html

Ronald Searle, Three St. Trinian's Schoolgirls, Chris Beetles Gallery

Ronald Searle, Carol Singing, Chris Beetles Gallery

May 28, 2012 Update:  The original drawing entitled St. Trinian's Schoolgirls which was offered for sale by Chris Beetles at 4,500 GBP is now listed by the gallery as sold. In addition, the drawing Carol Singing which was offered for sale by the gallery at 7,500 GBP is now listed as sold.

Note:  It seems I'm adding posts about Ronald Searle all the time, and you can see my most recent one here with a cat drawing never before seen in cyberspace.

Of course, there's no reason for me to write about Searle at all! Matt Jones has already done all the legwork. Check this out for a treasure trove of Searle Christmas cards, including the one made from Carol Singing, above!

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