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Lot Essay
GEOFFREY BLACKWELL, COLLECTOR
Geoffrey Blackwell, O.B.E. (1884-1943) was unusual amongst the leading collectors of English furniture of the first half of the twentieth century in combining modern British pictures and Georgian furniture, with which he furnished his Berkhamsted house. He was friendly with artists such as Henry Tonks and was an unofficial member of the New English Art Club. Quite possibly inspired by the seminal publication of Macquoid & Edwards' Dictionary of English Furniture in 1924, Blackwell entered the world of Georgian furniture collecting. In this, as with several other notable collectors of the day, he sought the wise counsel of the connoisseur and advisor R. W. Symonds and his collection was clearly deemed important enough to form the subject of two articles by Symonds in Apollo in 1936 (vol. XXIII). Symonds was behind the formation of several other prominent early twentieth century collections of English furniture, such as those formed by Percival Griffiths, J. S. Sykes, James Thursby Pelham, E. B. Moller and Frederick Poke and often acted as intermediary between collectors when they decided to 'refine' their collections. One Blackwell family story goes that one of Blackwell's sons was out fox-hunting with the Whaddon when Griffiths was killed. Returning home, he informed his father who was taking a bath. He immediately leapt out of the tub and telephoned Symonds to see which pieces would be available.
The superb Vile bookcase supplied to Queen Charlotte in the Getty Collection, lot 39 in the Evening Sale, also formed part of Blackwell's collection.
Geoffrey Blackwell, O.B.E. (1884-1943) was unusual amongst the leading collectors of English furniture of the first half of the twentieth century in combining modern British pictures and Georgian furniture, with which he furnished his Berkhamsted house. He was friendly with artists such as Henry Tonks and was an unofficial member of the New English Art Club. Quite possibly inspired by the seminal publication of Macquoid & Edwards' Dictionary of English Furniture in 1924, Blackwell entered the world of Georgian furniture collecting. In this, as with several other notable collectors of the day, he sought the wise counsel of the connoisseur and advisor R. W. Symonds and his collection was clearly deemed important enough to form the subject of two articles by Symonds in Apollo in 1936 (vol. XXIII). Symonds was behind the formation of several other prominent early twentieth century collections of English furniture, such as those formed by Percival Griffiths, J. S. Sykes, James Thursby Pelham, E. B. Moller and Frederick Poke and often acted as intermediary between collectors when they decided to 'refine' their collections. One Blackwell family story goes that one of Blackwell's sons was out fox-hunting with the Whaddon when Griffiths was killed. Returning home, he informed his father who was taking a bath. He immediately leapt out of the tub and telephoned Symonds to see which pieces would be available.
The superb Vile bookcase supplied to Queen Charlotte in the Getty Collection, lot 39 in the Evening Sale, also formed part of Blackwell's collection.