The largest single private collection of furniture, drawings and paintings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh is to be auctioned in Scotland next month.
The collection belonged to the New York media tycoon Donald L Taffner and his wife and business partner Eleanor, who brought many British shows to the US including Benny Hill.
As well as works by Mackintosh, the couple also collected art by The Glasgow Four and The Scottish Colourists. In total, the collection, which is to be sold at Lyon & Turnbull's saleroom in Edinburgh on September 7, is valued at around £1 million.
Two of the highlights of the Mackintosh works are the watercolour Bouleternere, painted around 1925-7, from the artist's period in the south of France which is estimated at £80,000-120,000, and Yellow Tulips, a still life dated to 1919 and estimated at £100,000-150,000.
The Taffners also collected works of the Scottish Colourists including work by FCB Cadell and JD Fergusson.
One of the more unusual lots is an oil painting by Sir John Lavery, depicting the artist with the child star Shirley Temple.
Elsewhere in the sale, which is made up of 100 items, is an early watercolour by Frances MacNair (nee Macdonald), Girl with Blue Butterflies, and works by her husband Herbert MacNair and sister Margaret Macdonald.
The Taffners had a life-long interest in Scottish art. Eleanor served as a member of the Glasgow School of Art Board of Governors from 1991-2003 and in 2003 was named honorary vice-president of the Glasgow School of Art. Mr Taffer died last September and his wife in 2010.
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