A collection of paintings reflecting an Exeter solicitor's infatuation with the St Ives art scene, will come under the hammer at The Penzance Auction House on Thursday April 12.

The 14 works, by artists including Jack Pender, Tony O'Malley and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, were collected by Henry “Harry” Stamp between the early 1960s and his death in 1989.

His daughter Judith Venning, now living in Hayle, recalled: “After he had begun visiting St Ives, he soon became captivated by the 'modern art' scene and spent long hours visiting the galleries in the town.

“He would leave Mum and the three children on the beach to play while he toured the galleries and met the artists in their workshops, endlessly discussing colour and form.”

Auctioneer David Lay commented: “The collection for sale is just 14 lots, but it is wholly exceptional in that the pictures come with notes and some original receipts.

“Today such provenance is very rare and greatly appreciated by collectors.”

Judith Venning added: “Once my father's pattern of regular visits to St Ives had been established, the traditional art on the walls of his home was quickly replaced by the work of artists from the St Ives galleries.

“He was soon visiting St Ives so often that he bought a small cottage at Trencrom and his family believed that but for his death at the relatively early age of 68 he would have moved to Cornwall to live permanently and immerse himself in the local art scene.”

As he was not a gifted painter himself, Mr Stamp offered his legal services wherever he could and was pivotal in helping set up the Spacex Art Gallery in Exeter.

His collection is being offered for sale on behalf of the estate of his widow, Pauline Stamp, and is expected to fetch in the region of £20,000.

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