JAMES GERALD GULLIVER C.V.O.
James Gulliver, known as "Jimmy" to his many friends, was one of the outstanding businessmen of his generation who built up the Argyll Foods group, masterminded the takeover of the Safeway supermarket chain and who steered it towards the well publicised attempted acquisition of United Distillers. He was born in 1930 at Campbeltown in Argyll and his death at the age of 66 in September 1996 came as a great shock to his beloved family and friends.
Aside from his business activities his longstanding interest was the restoration and improvement of his many homes both in London, Scotland and abroad. He had a great love for and pride in all his houses and took a detailed interest in their decoration and subsequent furnishing. Indeed, his house in Edinburgh, 12 Heriot Row, was often described as one of the finest town houses in the city.
From his office in Chesterfield Hill Street, London he would often drop into Christie's King Street as well as attending our twice yearly major Edinburgh furniture, paintings and silver sales. The breadth of his interest included Georgian and continental objects and pieces of furniture, but his longstanding great enthusiasm was for the work of Scottish artists, both 19th century and contemporary.
Recently his interest extended to Scottish silver, and a few of these pieces most notably a silver mounted ram's head table snuff mull, (lot 301), a pair of silver-mounted horn beakers by James Erskine of Aberdeen (lot 306), and a William and Mary trifid spoon (lot 309) are represented in the sale.
In this catalogue we are offering over 100 lots from James Gulliver's many homes. These afford us an excellent insight into what he cherished but it was the thrill of tracking down and acquiring pieces for his collection that really gave him pleasure; his experienced commercial background often encouraged him to 'drive' many a good bargain!
The items offered for sale are those surplus to the requirements of the family, with the pictures, furniture and silver to be sold reflecting James's excellent taste for design and style. There is an important Italian side-table (lot 367), an Empire secretaire à abattant (lot 366) and a fine George II giltwood mirror (lot 365) which were all purchased by James in 1987 at the Earl of Haddington's Tyninghame House sale; and a charming pair of Regency mahogany sofa tables (lot 354) in the manner of William Trotter of Edinburgh which graced the Heriot Row drawing room.
There are also many fine paintings, both 19th Century and contemporary. James Gulliver was a collector of remarkable diversity with an interest in many areas including maritime and sporting paintings which is evident from the superb collection of works by Henry Redmore (lots 373-376) a distinguished marine artist who specialised in romantic views of sailing ships and in the group of works by Richard Ansdell (lots 387-390) a prolific and highly successful artist who specialised both in large portrait commissions of sporting events as well as sensitive studies of small animal groups.
James's widespread and eclectic taste is well represented in this offering. His interest and enthusiasm for collecting was exemplified by an undoubted eye for quality, his inherent style and good taste, all creating a most delightful combination in this very remarkable man.
He is much missed by his many friends.
KRM., November 1997
SILVER
A Scottish silver mounted ram's head table snuff mull
MAKER'S MARK J.K., EDINBURGH, 1860
Details
A Scottish silver mounted ram's head table snuff mull
maker's mark J.K., Edinburgh, 1860
The full ram's head on three brass mounted wood castors, the horns with silver thistle and foliage chased mounts, set with foiled-back purple coloured quartz, the top fitted with a humadore, the hinged cover richly chased with thistles and foliage and cast shell-shaped thumbpiece, enclosing an oval snuff compartment, the hinged cover engraved with similar thistles and foliage and with presentation inscription and surmounted with a foiled-back amber-coloured oval quartz, complete with accoutrements, including snuff rake, snuff spoon, spike and ivory hammer, all on suspension chains issuing from a cast silver ram's head
16in. (40.7cm) wide
maker's mark J.K., Edinburgh, 1860
The full ram's head on three brass mounted wood castors, the horns with silver thistle and foliage chased mounts, set with foiled-back purple coloured quartz, the top fitted with a humadore, the hinged cover richly chased with thistles and foliage and cast shell-shaped thumbpiece, enclosing an oval snuff compartment, the hinged cover engraved with similar thistles and foliage and with presentation inscription and surmounted with a foiled-back amber-coloured oval quartz, complete with accoutrements, including snuff rake, snuff spoon, spike and ivory hammer, all on suspension chains issuing from a cast silver ram's head
16in. (40.7cm) wide
Engraved
The inscription reads 'A Smith Shaw Esq, Captain of The 2nd Highland Company, E.R.V., by the non-commissioned officers and privates of that Company, in testimony of their appreciation of his Excellence as their Commangind Officer and as a Gentleman, Edinr. 23rd April, 1861'