Bonhams Magazine

Editor's Letter

‘The collector’s eye’ is one of those terms bandied about by connoisseurs. But over the years I’ve realised that, while seeing an artwork is a prerequisite, many collectors acquire with their hearts, head and almost certainly their soul. Alain Delon, the legendary actor, is squarely in this category. He acquired his first work aged 24 when in London – and never quite stopped. After that moment, he got a taste for buying works, never using an advisor, always trusting his own instincts. His collection is being offered at Bonhams Cornette this June and it has already received worldwide attention. Highlights include drawings by Veronese, Beccafumi, Millet; paintings by Delacroix, Dufy, Gleizes – and a number of sensational sculptures by Rembrandt Bugatti. As Delon himself said when summing up his treasures: “There are two things I regard as my legacy: my acting career and my art collection. I am so proud of them both. People ask me if there is a thread that binds these pieces together. I say, “C’est moi!”

Another actor who was a compulsive collector was Peter Sellers. The late and great actor could not stop buying cars (or handbags for his mother…). Alas, Sellers could not have made the same assertion as Alain Delon, as he had no idea who he was when he wasn’t inhabiting a part. Roy Boulting, the film producer, went so far as to say that Sellers was mad. However, Sellers certainly knew a beautiful car when he saw one. In this issue, Neil Lyndon writes about the most desirable car the actor acquired: a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT, one of the cultural signifiers of its age – and which had its own starring role as the getaway car in the British crime caper, The Wrong Arm of the Law. The motor will hit the block at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.

Talking of collectors, some things never change. Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel (1585-1646) was arguably the most illustrious collector that Britain has ever known, writes Susan Moore, with a “peerless” collection of Old Master paintings and Classical sculptures. The Earl began the vogue for the Grand Tour – which became a gap year-cum-finishing school for young English milords – and in doing so he changed the taste of a nation. One of his purchases was a set of six panels illustrating the seasons, and the one for March and April is on offer in July’s Old Master Paintings sale in London. Just as the year has its cycle, so do collectors, and this is the season for the next generation to buy with their eye.

Enjoy the issue.