Scarborough auction of 'remarkable' Yorkshire marine artist's private collection takes market by storm

The sale saw the artist’s record price smashed twice, had pictures making as much as five times estimates – and achieved a sale total of more than double the most optimistic predictions.

The 54 paintings, drawings and prints were the personal collection of the artist who died at the age of 96 last year, the pictures that he kept for the walls of his home and studio in Hull.

Most of them had never been seen in public before.

The auction came at the end of a month-long retrospective exhibition that has been staged at the Vine Street Salerooms of auctioneers David Duggleby.

Duggleby fine art specialist Dominic Cox said: “Before this auction the record price for a Jack Rigg was £1,100.

“That figure was equalled by the very first lot in the sale, a view of Robin Hood’s Bay painted in 1962, a time when Jack was working in a Yorkshire textile mill.

“He hadn’t even turned professional at that stage.

“Lot 4, saw the record broken when a bidder in the Bahamas paid £1,600, more than three times estimate, for a view of fishing vessels moored in Whitby Harbour painted in 2010.

“But that record lasted only moments because Lot 11, London View, a wonderful moonlit view of sailing vessels moored on the River Thames with Tower Bridge in the background, that was predicted to make £400-£600, actually went for £1,900, knocked down to a bidder in Worcestershire.”

The auction was 100% sold.

Thirty-three of the 54 lots sold over estimate.

A particularly poignant result was achieved by an unframed painting Spring Tide, a view of a beached fishing vessel at Scarborough Harbour that sold for £550, four and a half times more than expected.

Jack painted that in 2019 – when he was 92.

The auction was predicted to make £8,000 to £10,000 but achieved a total of £20,720 (hammer prices) and £26,000 inclusive of commissions and fees.

Mr Cox said: “We’re obviously very pleased, not least because this remarkable Yorkshire marine artist is getting the attention and exposure that he deserves.”