London – The Greatest Show: The Fairground World of Ross Hutchinson brought all the fun of the fair to Bonhams New Bond Street and delighted bidders yesterday (Tuesday 10 September), achieving more than double its pre-sale estimate. The top lot was an important carved and giltwood horse and chariot front from the famous Wonderland No.2 Bioscope commissioned by Pat Collins, which archived more than £70,000 against an estimate of £30,000-50,000.

Hutchinson had been a connoisseur of fairground memorabilia for more than 40 years, and the sale featured an array of vintage and antique fairground figures and carvings, ride seats shaped as animals, games and posters.

The total achieved for the collection in both the live and online sales was £873,000.

The 147-lot live sale achieved £632,645, against a pre-sale estimate of £310,700 - 479,750 with 97% sold by lot, whilst the 139-lot online sale, which ended today (Wednesday 11 September), achieved £240,400.

Other highlights of the sale included:

• A large English carved and painted tobacconist advertising figure of an officer of the Black Watch probably made by John Anderson, circa 1880. Sold for £57,550.

• The English Execution: a coin operated automata or 'working model' machine made by Charles Ahrens, circa 1920s. Sold for £17,280.

• 'The Guv'nor': a 1:3 scale live-steam coal-fired 'scenic' Burrell showman's road locomotive. Built in 1988/89 of the type used by Pat Collins Fun Fairs. Sold for £25,600.

• An important French carved, painted and gilded fairground entrance figure of the Peacock Lady attributed to Alexandre De Vos, circa 1900. Sold for £19,200.

Charlie Thomas, UK Group Director for House Sales and Private & Iconic Collections at Bonhams, commented: "This was an extraordinary collection which showed one man's fascination with the world of the fairground. After an unforgettable three week exhibition at Bonhams New Bond Street, we thrilled that so many others also saw the mix of craftsmanship and childlike wonder that went into so many of these fabulous pieces."

Ross Hutchison brought together his collection of fairground art over the course of more than 40 years. Growing up, he often visited fairs across the country and was struck by the 'line of trucks' that carried the fairground sets. He remembers looking at the painted graphics on the vehicles in the dark with a torch, captivated by the magical and strange mix of history and make believe. He spent his career working with antiques and vintage rocking horses, before establishing a toy museum in Lincoln in 1989, which he ran with his wife. He acquired many of his fairground pieces from 'listening to stories, finding leads and receiving tip offs'. His pursuit has taken him across the world, bringing together items from France and America dating from the early 1900s, and tracing down pieces which capture 'a kind of golden baroque age'.

Speaking prior to the sale, Ross Hutchison commented: "In 1977, the Whitechapel Gallery mounted a show 'The Fairground' which amazed me with its display of forgotten objects and art. Dealers and collectors took interest and started looking for surviving pieces. First to strike me were the signs with their swirling fonts and gaudy colours. Then as a few carved pieces started to appear on the market, I began to really see the quality of the Victorian fairground art, carvings by skilled men working in the tradition of ships' figureheads, tobacco shop figures and church decoration. Most of their work has been destroyed, and their names forgotten, with carvings burnt for the gold leaf finish. It has taken me more than 40 years to gather these baroque survivors together, uniting sets and pairs. It gives me great pleasure to present them to you."

Though one of the earliest recorded fairs was Bartholomew Fair in 1133, it was in the 18th and 19th centuries that the funfair came into being. They were attended by rich and poor alike and only grew in the late 19th century and early 20th century when the first mechanical carousels were introduced. One of the oldest known fairs in the UK, Nottingham Goose Fair, started as a livestock and trade event, before becoming famous for its fairground attractions. It is held annually, with the only exceptions being in 1646 after an outbreak of the bubonic plague, for periods during the First and Second World Wars, and in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

11 September 2024