All the fun of the fair comes to Bonhams New Bond Street this September with the sale of The Greatest Show: The Fairground World of Ross Hutchinson!
Ross Hutchinson has been a connoisseur of fairground memorabilia for more than 40 years. A fan of the fairground from a young age, Hutchinson 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.
Having travelled across the world in pursuit of the best fairground pieces, next month 300 lots from Hutchison’s collection come to the saleroom – 150 in a live sale taking place on 10 September and a further 150 available online until 11 September.
Vintage and antique fairground figures and carvings, ride seats shaped as animals, games and posters all feature, with highlights including:
- An important carved and giltwood horse and chariot front from the famous Wonderland No.2 Organ, commissioned by Pat Collins and made by Orton & Spooner, circa 1906. Estimate: £30,000 – 50,000
- An American horse race game made by the Williams Amusement Device Co., Denver, circa 1920s. Estimate: £8,000 – 12,000
- The English Execution: a coin operated ‘working model’ machine made by Charles Ahrens, circa 1930s. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
- An English carved and painted galloping double-seater figure of a dragon attributed to John Anderson, circa 1900. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
Ross Hutchinson said: “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.”
A preview exhibition of all the lots from both the live and the online sale is now open at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street. For further information: bonhams.com
Image: An important American horse race game made by the Williams Amusement Device Co., Denver, circa 1920s. Estimate: £8,000 – 12,000 courtesy of Bonhams
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