22 28th July 2012
art market Trends in the North… a
■ Single buyer takes Braaq to new heights twice at the same Ilkley sale
Alex Capon reports
NORTHERN art remains a field in which buyers are keen to spot investment opportunities, but few would argue that the strategy has become somewhat harder in these straitened times.
Increased selectivity in the marketplace
means demand has been weakened for less-established artists, but there are one or two better-known names bucking the general trend as more money chases the same prizes. For example, this summer has been an
interesting time for Liverpool-born Brian ‘Braaq’ Shields (1951-1997). Most recently his record was broken
twice in the same sale at Hartleys (15% buyer’s premium) in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, which meant his paintings have been taken to new heights at auction a total of six times in the last two years – good going by any standards. Is this because his works are
gaining greater appreciation? Or have investment-minded collectors now identified him as ‘Liverpool’s Lowry’? As well as collectors from his home
town and a notable group of dealers advancing his cause, the artist also has a following in Harrogate, the affluent Yorkshire spa town where he arrived as a young man to work in a local hotel and restaurant. Some art collectors in the area can remember him pulling pints before he achieved enough recognition and money to paint full time. Indeed, he initially came to
prominence after painting a mural in a Harrogate hotel in an attempt to brighten the place. It caused considerable interest in the area before the identity of the ‘mystery’ artist was uncovered by a local journalist. A planned publicity stunt or not,
he went on to have his own dedicated exhibitions in the 1970s before leaving Harrogate in 1982 after being declared bankrupt and moved to Portugal. Braaq’s works usually focused on
his childhood memories of Liverpool, often in a humorous way, and the artist frequently depicted himself in his
paintings as a boy wearing a striped jumper. Brian Shields, one of 12 children,
appears to have demonstrated his talent early in life – ‘Braaq’, a misspelling of the French artist Braque, was his nickname at school. While it would be very surprising if
Braaq’s prices ever grew to the extent of Lowry (whose style he followed), it cannot pass unnoticed, even by critics of his naive pictures, that his best works have more than doubled in value since mid 2010. Back then, no example had made
more than £7500 in the saleroom. Then came a run of unprecedented results, including the £15,500 at Hartleys for St Andrews – a view of golfers and spectators on the famous 18th hole – and the £15,000 bid at Morphets of Harrogate for Football Match, a painting of a game taking place in a stadium with a large crowd. Until Hartleys’ sale on June 27, these
remained the two highest auction prices for Braaq. On offer at the latest Ilkley sale
were two oils of Northern towns in the snow. With multiple figures, landmark buildings, falling snow and bright windows, it had obvious appeal to his admirers and those on the look out for his most commercial works. They were both signed Braaq and inscribed Ann – the name of his sister
continued on page 24
Two paintings by Brian ‘Braaq’ Shields offered at Hartleys of Ilkley and making the two highest prices at auction for the artist so far. Above: Can’t Come out Today ‘Cos I Wet the Bed Last Night – £30,000. Below: Kinder Street in Winter– £19,500.
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