Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this beautifully executed watercolour by the artist Edward (Teddy) George Marston Wilkes, who has signed the painting E. Wilkes in the lower right hand corner and inscribed it verso 'Cowes Regatta 1913' and signed it E. G. M. Wilkes 1987. The painting depicts the Regatts at Cowes in the Isle of Wight in 1913. This is an extract from a newspaper article of the time.

'The regatta of the Royal Yacht Club at Cowes, Isle of Wight, was inaugurated today, the German Emperor's yacht Meteor with Prince Henry of Prussia on board, being a competitor in the opening match. Mr. G. Harry Hawker, an Australian, using a Sopwtih waterplace, greeted their Majesties the King and Queen before they arrived on board the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert. The King, who was watching the evolutions of the waterplace, called to the Queen and Princess Mary to join him on the bridge of the steamer. Mr. Hawker twice alighted on the surface of the water and then, rising easily into the air, performed several tricks high above the sea, including a final courtesy to the King's yacht. He then led the Royal procession into 'The Roads'. The Lords of the Admiralty have since acquired the waterplane. The King's yacht Britannia won the Gold Cup today.'

We believe that the Britannia is the yacht in the foreground and the steamer behind it is the Victoria and Albert, although we are not convinced of that as, although the hull looks correct, the Victoria and Albert had twin funnels.

Edward (Teddy) George Marston Wilkes was born in Egham, Surrey on the 12th May, 1914. He was educated at Berkhampstead School and trained at Watford School of Art. He married Vera Catherine Norman (1909-1994) in 1945 in Luton. He was a watercolour painter of marines and pre-1940 motor racing scenes. He was a Member of the Association of Sussex Artists and their label is on the back, so this watercolour was obviously exhibited with them.

He joined Temple Press in 1932 as staff artist and worked for The Light Car Magazine and Motor magazine. He worked for the Rootes Group from 1945-1952 in charge of their Coventry car styling department, after which he formed his own successful industrial design partnership. Before WWII he was an enthusiastic amateur driver and competed in hill climbs and races in his own special car a Wilkes-Jap. Although he lived in Petworth in the 1980s and 1990s, after his wife died in 1994, he may have moved, as he died in 1999 in the New Forest.

He is listed in The Dictionary of Neglected Artists by Jeremy Wood and on google under Motoring Art Information. His auction results are available on the usual sites, but a watercolourgouache of Sir Henry Birkin in a Bently at Le Mans in 1930 achieved £1495 including premium at Bonhams in 2010.

The painting is mounted with washlines and is framed in a 7/8" tan wooden frame that suits it very well. It will be supplied with new brass hangers and new brass picture wire, ready to hang on the buyer's wall.

Image size: 15 1/4" x 10 1/2" - 38.75cm x 26.7cm

Frame size: 23 1/4" x 18 1/4" - 59cm x 46.25cm

Medium: Watercolours

Condition: Very good. There is no foxing and the colours are true. The mount and frame are in very good condition.