On 6th April, the collection of music master Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE came to auction, comprising of items from his lifetime collection and work including original manuscripts, musical instruments, awards, pictures and memorabilia, saw just over 200 lots go under the hammer.
With online, telephone and in-room bidders battling it out, highlights of the sale included (hammer prices, excluding buyer's premium) autographed full scores of his orchestral works, including those of the 4th Symphony (Opus 71), which sold for £6 000; the 1st Symphony (Opus 22), which sold for £3 500; and the 8th Symphony (Opus 124), which sold for £2 600.
A number of autographed sketches of his work which sold included those for his Fantasy on a Theme of John Field (Opus 116), which sold for £1 500; for The Three Musketeers, which sold for £1 200; and for the Tempest, which sold for £2 000.
Pieces which captured Arnold's musical life included two of the composer's trumpets, one which he used as Principal Trumpet in the London Philharmonic Orchestra, both of which sold for £850 each and Arnold's two Ivor Novello Awards sold for £1 200 and £1 000.
Keys director and general manager Kevin Lines commented, ''This was an important sale which attracted bidders from all over the world, with particularly busy online bidding. The huge variety of lots on offer meant that there was something for everyone, from serious institutional collectors bidding on original scores, to amateur collectors and musicians bidding for memorabilia related to one of the UK’s leading composers.''
Keys next auction will be their Antiques & Interiors with Pictures, which will take place on 18th April, 2017. Check out the catalogue here.