North collector’s treasures

Feb 28 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A STUNNING collection of modern art built up by the Tyneside head of a tailoring empire is to be sold at auction.

It is believed to be the most valuable collection of 20th Century art ever to come on to the market in the North East.

Around 200 artworks were collected by Lionel Jacobson, who was chairman, managing director and president of the Jackson the Tailor and Montague Burton combine.

Mr Jacobson died in Newcastle in 1978, aged 72. His collection is expected to fetch around £500,000 when it is sold in Newcastle by auctioneers Anderson & Garland on March 11.

Part of the proceeds have been earmarked by his family for charity.

Subsequent days of the sale will see other items sold from Mr Jacobson’s home in Montague Avenue, Gosforth, Newcastle, such as porcelain, silver and furniture, including 1960s-70s pieces by designer Laszlo Hoenig. Mr Jacobson knew artist L S Lowry and met him when the painter regularly visited the Stone Gallery in Newcastle, which dealt in his works.

A 1967 Lowry painting, Boat at Sea, thought to have been painted at Seaham in County Durham and which was bought by Mr Jacobson, is valued in the sale at around £70,000.

Another item from the collection is a sculpture by Henry Moore, which is set to fetch £40,000-£60,000, and four paintings and a drawing by David Bomberg priced at between £18,000-£60,000.

John Anderson, picture specialist at Anderson & Garland, said: “During the 1950s and 1960s, Mr Jacobson became the leading collector of contemporary art in the area, at a time when it wasn’t particularly fashionable. In collaboration with Newcastle’s Stone Gallery and several major London galleries, he acquired dozens of superb examples, from oils by the famous Jewish artist David Bomberg, to an outstanding bronze by leading British sculptor of the period Henry Moore.

“His interest in contemporary art largely followed the merger of his family firm with Burtons in 1953 and quickly gathered pace with the establishment of the Stone Gallery in 1958. The gallery became the leading local gallery specialising in contemporary art, and as a frequent visitor to its premises in the city’s St Mary’s Place, Lennie, as he was known to his family and friends, found himself more and more attracted to the colourful works on show.

“None of this should have surprised those who knew him, given his lifelong interest in the fabrics his firm transformed into the most fashionable clothing of the day.

“Indeed, he was regarded as one of the three best buyers of cloth in the country.” The sale will also include works by Israeli artists and Mr Anderson said: “We are expecting quite a lot of international interest.”

Jackson the Tailor began with Mr Jacobson’s Russian emigre father Moses, who arrived in Newcastle in 1900 and set up business in Clayton Street with a £100 loan. The tailoring empire eventually consisted of around 70 stores and factories, including works in Gateshead and Sunderland.