Paintings

Here at the department for paintings and works of art we are busy researching and cataloguing for our upcoming auctions. We provide insurance, probate or inheritance tax and other types of valuations of painting collections throughout Scotland and the north of England.

If you have a painting or a collection of works that you wish to learn more about, to have identified and valued, or expertly catalogued and presented for auction, then contact our specialist to receive free, no-obligation, professional advice.

The painting auctions are held fifteen times a year at our Edinburgh, Dumfries and Carlisle auction rooms and broadcast worldwide online to an international market. The department record for a single lot is shared at £52,000, both works by Samuel Scott. In fact in 2008, the Edinburgh auction room unearthed a parcel of sixteen watercolour sketches by the artist which collectively realised £316,500. Other notable results in recent years include:

£43,000 at the Edinburgh auction room in November 2014 for an oil painting of a Jewish scribe in the manner of Giovanni Battista Langetti;
£30,000 at the Edinburgh auction room in February 2023 for an oil painting of London Bridge by Algernon Cecil Newton;
£25,000 at the Edinburgh auction room in October 2020 for Jack Vettriano's 'Girl on a Promenade'; 
£22,500 at the Carlisle auction room in July 2015 for a work by Montague Dawson MRSA FRSA;
£22,000 at the Edinburgh auction room in April 2014 for 'The Marriage Settlement' by Italian artist Arturo Ricci;
£21,000 at the Ayr auction room in April 2023 for a Sir William Nicholson oil painting of cows; 
£20,000 at the Carlisle auction room in January 2017 for a pair of works depicting Port Mahon by Anton Chranz;
£20,000 at the Edinburgh auction room in October 2015 for an oil painting portrait of Prince Eugene of Savoy;
£14,600 at the Carlisle auction room in March 2015 an oil painting of a pointer titled 'Pan' by Matthew Ellis Nutter;
£13,000 at the Dumfries auction room in June 2013 for an oil painting of a hawking party by Jan Wyck;
£12,500 at the Carlisle auction room in July 2015 for and oil painting of the sun setting on Ben Venue by Alfred De Breanski Senior;
£11,800 at the Edinburgh auction room in May 2009 for Edward Atkinson Hornel's 'The Butterfly';

You may have heard of Thomson Roddick from advertisements in publications including the Antiques Trade Gazette, The Scotsman or Scottish Field. If you are social media inclined, and don’t follow us yet, then we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: you can find our social media icons in the footer of the website to start following us. Perhaps you have seen a member of our team on tv recently? We feature regularly on Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip, Dickinson’s Real Deal, Cash in the Attic and the much missed Flog It, or you may have met one of our valuers presenting a talk on antiques to your local group. Tune in to our new television series, The Edinburgh Auction House, following the Scottish team as they travel around the country searching for exciting lots to sell.  Starting at 9pm on 10th January 2023 on the Really channel, it's sure to be a great watch!

Sybelle Thomson is the Head of Department and is always happy to conduct free no-obligation valuations, whether in person at the auction room, over email, or in the comfort of your own home. Sybelle can be contacted by telephone on 0131 440 2448 (Edinburgh), 01387 721 635 (Dumfries), 01292 267 681 or 01228 535 288 (Carlisle) or by email edinburgh@thomsonroddick.com, dumfries@thomsonroddick.com, enquiries@trcallan.com or carlisle@thomsonroddick.com.

South West Scotland Artists

Based at the Dumfries Auction Centre in the South West of Scotland, Thomson Roddick have developed a specialist department to promote the sale of paintings by artists connected to the South West of Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway boasts a rich artistic history.

The region’s unique landscape and light has proved a magnet for artists for over two hundred years. Kirkcudbright was, and still is, a draw for artists and many of the “Glasgow Boys and Girls” have visited the area for inspiration.

Thomson Roddick has established itself as the leading auction house for selling the work of both 19th century and contemporary South West of Scotland artists in our quarterly antique and fine art sales.

Recent highlights have included works by many well-known artists.

Charles Oppenheimer (1875-1961)
Exhibited at Royal Academy and Royal Scottish Academy. As well as producing paintings, he designed posters for British Rail, and was a founder member of the Dumfries and Galloway Fine Art Society.

William Mouncey (1863-1901)
Born in Kirkcudbright, he was helped and advised by E A Hornel.

Christian Jane (Chris) Fergusson (1876-1957)
Born in Dumfries and worked closely with many of the Kirkcudbright artists.

Edward Atkinson Hornel (1864-1933)
Although born in Australia, he spent his formative years in Kirkcudbright. He was one of the leading Glasgow Boys but despite fame and fortune, he settled at Broughton House in Kirkcudbright.

William Miles Johnston (1861-1974)
William Miles Johnston was a close friend of Jessie M. King. In 1940, he moved to Kirkcudbright and opened “The Crafts” in Castle Street from where he sold his paintings and ceramics etc.

Jessie Marion King (1875-1949)
Jessie M. King lived in Kirkcudbright, producing book illustrations as well as decorating ceramics.

Donald Watson (1918-2005)
He lived at St John’s Town of Dalry, specialising in painting birds in their natural environment. He illustrated over thirty books.

James Paterson (1854 – 1932)
He moved to Moniaive in 1884 and exhibited at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters. He was a talented colourist and founder member of “The Glasgow Boys”.

Thomson Roddick has recently held the studio sale of works by Cyril Wilson (1911-2001).

Based in Dumfries since 1940, he exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Society of Scottish Artists. Thomson Roddick has sold work by these artists and many more South West artists including James Faed Snr. and Jnr., George Wright of Annan, David Gauld, Anna and Isabel Hotchkis, Jim Sturgeon, Archie Sutter Watt.