£600
Attributed to Frederick William Elwell (1870-1958), Portrait of J. A. Wade, unsigned, oil on canvas, 60 x 50 cm, gilt frame.
Joseph Armitage Wade (1820 - 1893), was the self styled King of Hornsea. He was a successful Hull timber merchant and Hornsea resident, Wade's brickworks were established c.1865, he was instrumental in the building of the Hull and Hornsea Railway, 1862 -1864, a gas works in 1864, and between 1878 and 1880 a 1,072 feet pier was constructed - it was damaged within a year after a ship collided with it during a storm, shortening it by 300 feet. In 1897 the pier was sold for demolition.
Elwell began his portrait career c.1890 and this would put this painting as one of his earliest works as Wade died in 1893. The cataloguer cannot find any reference to this portrait online but it has all of Elwell's characteristics of a high quality face and a dark background.
Fees apply to the hammer price:
Room and Absentee Bids:
20% inc VAT*
Online and Autobids:
23.6% inc VAT*