Old Master paintings held in family collections for centuries emerge for sale

26th August 2026

The upcoming Old Master British and European Paintings sale on Wednesday 9^th September 2026 includes historic paintings that have emerged from centuries-old family collections.

• One of the earliest paintings in our forthcoming sale is a fine example of Antwerp Mannerism, depicting Adoration of the Magi, executed c.1530 (Lot 125). Artists in Antwerp at this time were united in an interest in vivid colouring, flamboyant costumes, technical virtuosity and architectural elements, all of which are apparent in the present work. Originally the work would have been the central panel of a triptych, with the missing wings depicting the third magi and St Joseph. A version of this composition is in the Royal Collection (RCIN 403955), attributed to a follower of Pieter Coecke van Aelst (1502-50). This work has been in the family of the present owner, certainly since as far back as 1916.

• The World Reversed (or the Hares' Revenge), Flemish School, c. 1700 (Lot 120) is part of a tradition of pictures showing animals taking revenge on hunters and their dogs, dating to the early seventeenth century. This painting has belonged to the Eyre (later Eyre Matcham) family and hung at Newhouse, Wiltshire. The house itself, built in the early 1600s, was continuously home to the Eyre family for close to 400 years and is believed to be one of only two ‘Trinity’ houses in Britain, so named due to its unique Y-shaped design. Two further variants of the ‘Hares' Revenge’ painting are known: one previously at Hampton Court Leominster and the other at Tetton House, Taunton.

• A near pair of 18^th century equestrian oil paintings by Dublin based artist William Elmer (1762-1799) (Lot 165) features portraits of Edward William Scott (1783-1836) and James Smyth Scott (1782-1854) in green suits, unmounted beside their steeds. The paintings have been consigned direct from the family of the sitters.

These three lots (Lots 120,125 and 165) all carry estimates of £10,000-£15,000.

• A 19^th century portrait by John Hoppner, RA (1858-1810) and Studio (Lot 182) is also consigned by the family of the subject; Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl Cornwallis (1738-1805), who played a significant role in the American War of Independence, was Governor-General and Commander-in-chief of India and played a decisive role in the passing of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1800. The estimate for this portrait of the sitter in red uniform wearing the sash and star of the Order of the Garter, carries an estimate of £3,000-£5,000.

Director and paintings specialist Ed Beer said, “It is always a privilege to be entrusted with paintings that have hung in family collections for hundreds of years. It is precisely this ‘fresh to market’ quality, combined with their fascinating provenance, that makes these works so appealing to collectors.”