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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

ICONIC RICHARD HAMILTON SIXTIES IMAGE FOR SALE AT BONHAMS


One of the iconic images of the Swinging Sixties by the artist Richard Hamilton, who died yesterday, is for sale at Bonhams Print Sale in London on 29 November.
 
‘Release’  shows Mick Jagger and Hamilton’s art dealer Robert Fraser handcuffed together in the back of a police car shielding their faces from photographers after being arrested for possession of drugs in 1967.  The arrest followed a raid earlier in the year on a notorious party at ‘Redlands’ the house of Keith Richards. Jagger was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for possession of 4 amphetamine tablets. This prompted a famous editorial in ‘The Times’ under the title, “Who Breaks a Butterfly Upon a Wheel?’ protesting at the harshness of the sentence which was subsequently reduced to a conditional discharge on appeal.
 
The print, which was executed in 1972, is based on a photograph of the two men taken at the time. It was produced to benefit an organisation called Release which helped people who had run into trouble with the police and is estimated at £15,000 – 20,000.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals through two major salerooms in London - New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge - and a further three throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto in Canada; and in Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com

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