Another month, another Syd Barrett auction.

On the 29th or 30th November of 2006 collector Brian Wernham bought a painting at the Syd Barrett charity Cheffins auction. The charity closed down a couple of years later, after all the money had vaporised, but that’s a vicious gossip that is very hidden on this blog.

Described as ‘Lot 741 Still life of “Dried Flowers” painted at Camberwell School of Art’ it was hammered at £8,500. if we may believe Steve Bassett who sent the results to the late Astral Piper website and forum. (Archived at: Cheffins Auction for the late Syd Barrett.)

Barrett (art book)

The Barrett art book by Beecher and Shutes catalogues it as follows:
Untitled 7
Cat. 9
1963
55 x 68 cm
Ink, pastel, and watercolour on paper

(Our review of the Barrett book at: Barrett: come on you painter!)

Barrett for sale!

On the second of July 2024 Brian Wernham told the Barrett community that the painting was up for auction. Taken from Brian’s Facebook:

Rare Work of Art by Pink Floyd Rock Genius to Go Under the Hammer in Carlisle.

The earliest known existing work of art by Pink Floyd founding member, Roger Keith ‘Syd’ Barrett is set to go under the hammer at Thomson Roddick Callan’s auction of fine art in Carlisle on 30th July.

The pastel and watercolour work was painted at home in Cambridge in 1963 while studying at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, where he met soon-to-be-bandmate, David Gilmour. The following year, he enrolled at Camberwell College of Arts in London to study painting and in 1965 Pink Floyd began to emerge from London’s underground music scene to become one of the most influential psychedelic rock bands of all time.

Unfortunately, Syd’s time with the band was brief due to various personal issues and he officially left the band in 1968 to pursue a solo career, but not before he had made an indelible mark on music history.

In later life, he continued to find peace and solace in creating works of art, although these were usually destroyed on completion, and Thomson Roddick Callan are thrilled to be able to offer one of his rarely-available works onto the open market. Competition for it is likely to be fierce and the auctioneers are expecting interest from around the world. Prospective bidders will be able to register to bid at the sale and view the catalogue from 19th July with live internet bidding available at www.thomsonroddick.com. (Taken from: Facebook.)

Summer Holiday

As you may have seen above the auction webpage only opened on the 19th of July, with bids closing on the 30th of July 2024. It can now be consulted at: Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett (British 1946-2006) Still Life (Lot 250).

The selling price is estimated between £6,000 and £8,000 (€7,125 to €9,500 / $7,757 to $10,343), not that far off of the price it was bought for in 2006.

Obviously, some fees apply to the hammer price:
Room and Absentee Bids: 24% inc VAT
Online and Autobids: 27.6% inc VAT

If you are interested in the description of the painting, here it is:
Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett (British 1946-2006)
Still Life of dried flowers
Pastel and watercolour
Signed lower left R Barrett.
Syd painted the picture while he was at Camberwell School of Art and subsequently, he gifted it to his sister Rosemary.
55 x 69cm

Auction Date: 30th Jul 2024 at 10am
Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett (British 1946-2006) Still Life

Update: July 30, 2024.
Sold for £8,000.

Controversy

Rule #1 of all things Barrett is that you can’t publish anything without some controversy taking place. While the painting has been described as Syd’s ‘earliest known existing work of art’ this was, obviously, contested. Maurock Guglielmi at Birdie Hop:

They say that this is the first painting made in 1963 (Which is currently being auctioned) but it seems to me that it is self-portrait of 1961 made after the death of Max Barrett and given to his girlfriend at the time. (Birdie Hop, private Facebook group.)

The ‘girlfriend’ in question, Libby Gauden, confirmed this:

The self portrait I have it was earlier than this one. (Birdie Hop, private Facebook group.)

But first or not, this is a pretty important piece of early Pink Floyd related history.
This article will be updated after the auction has taken place or when more information is available.

Update; July 30,2024.

Many thanks to: Astral Piper Redux 2013, Birdie Hop, Brian Wernham, Dion Johnson, Libby Gausden, Maurock Guglielmi, Neptune Pink Floyd, Steve Bassett. Pictures courtesy of Brian Wernham, Thomson Roddick Callan auctions.

Some links:
Astral Piper: The Cheffins Auction Report : by Steve Bassett.
Brian Wernham (Facebook): Rare Work of Art.
Late Night Forum: Auction of Syd's painting on 30th July on Internet.
Neptune Pink Floyd: Syd Barrett Art Auction July 2024.

♥ Libby ♥ Iggy ♥