| My field of expertise includes: Valuation of all pictures and works of art for the following purposes:Sale,Insurance,Probate and Family division. Valuation and advice in connection with acceptance capital taxes,estate taxes including in lieu,private treaty sales to the nation. Historic interiors and their decoration. Cataloging established,as well as new,collections.
Independent advisor to some of the finest collections in the U.K.Although my specialty is re-organising aristocratic collection for either private use or public display in which my remit covers everything from wall coverings and customs,lighting and re-upholstery to the restoration of paintings and all other works of art,I am also able to give professional advice on capital taxation,estate planning as well as guidance on the building up and improving of collections by selective purchasing and selling to enhance the existing.If you are simply wanting or intending to buy and collect art,I can advise and guide you through the often intimidating sale rooms and most importantly tell you what is a good investment in terms of quality and durability and even more specifically what to avoid.
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Former director of Old Master Paintings at Sotherbys London having joined them in 1973.Consultant on old master paintings to Sotherbys from 1992 – 2000.As a trained art historian with a BA(Hon’s)Degree from the University of East Anglia in 1973,I also write on the subject and catalogue entire collections.Most recently I have produced a catalogue of the hundred finest pieces in on of the foremost private collections assembled in the last thirty years in Austria,comprising not only old masters and modern paintings,but antiquities,ceramics,silver,medieval working art,as well as furniture,and tapestries.
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The castle of
Nelahozores in the Czech Republic dating from 1556.
Click for a gallery of
further images.
I am principal advisor to the Princely
house of Lobokovicz in the Czech Republic; one of the greatest European
noble family collections. I created for them, on the restitution of
their properties in 1991,the permanent exhibition shown in some
twenty-five room and galleries, which was entitled “Six Centuries of
European Art”. It was situated at the Castle of Nelahozores near Prague,
which was opened by President Valclav Havel in April 1997.These
collections….Confiscated from Prince Maximillian Lobokovicz in 1948 by
the communists are now visited annually by ? ? ? members of the
international public and the collections revival has been written about in
such museum publications as Conaissance des Arts, The Art Newspaper,
Arte,The Prague Post, Il Giornale deu Arte, Wiener Zeitung and Vivenda
International
Burghley House built
between 1555-1587.
Click
for a gallery of further images.
Since 1982 I have been honoree keeper of
the picture collection at Burghley house. Home to the largest and
finest collection of 17th century Italian paintings in Great
Britain. From 1982 – 1984 I completely re-hung the entire home,
with the State Rooms open to the public and the Private Apartments,
involving in excess of one thousand paintings.
Other John Somerville WebPages coming soon...Works by the artist stuart Scott somerville 1908-1983(my father),for whose studio I am custodian and sole agent,and of his sister Margaret(Peggy)Scott Somerville
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