The most recent Fine Sale on the 20th and 21st September here at Cheffins saw over thirty silhouettes, all consigned from one local collector, and which drew surprising levels of interest. Having been invented in the late 18th century, the silhouette could arguably be called the original selfie. A quick likeness, inexpensive to make and speedy to send to a friend, relative or love interest. Made using nothing but paper and scissors, they were kept as mementos, before being rendered useless by the advent of the camera. Now collectors’ pieces, these wonderful pictures hit their heyday of popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, when they once again became all the rage, and were regularly hitting prices in the high hundreds when they appeared at auction.
Two early Victorian silhouette portraits of a young boy and girl - sold for £300 (hammer)
Having subsequently falling out of favour, the results of the recent sale appear to demonstrate that they are coming back into fashion. Many of the lots were bought by the antiques trade, who, like auction houses, can often be some of the first to spot trends in the interiors market. Earlier this year, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery launched a microsite giving access to more than 1,800 silhouettes by American artist, William Bache, which drew much excitement from many of the public who headed to their screens to try and find a likeness to a relative in the collection. Perhaps this has helped to bring silhouettes back into the public eye. They are also appearing on Etsy, Vinterior and other dealer sites, while also featuring in interior design schemes where their monochrome colours can prove the perfect antidote to busy or more colourful interiors. We have seen them popping up on mantelpieces, bedside tables or even as part of gallery walls, and their prices are now rising to match.
A group of three 19th century silhouettes, sold for £360 (hammer)
A couple of years ago even the best quality silhouette wouldn’t tend to hit over £100 at auction, however we saw a number in the most recent sale make the prices in the mid-hundreds. The most popular examples tend to be conversation pieces, or those of known sitters. Framing is also an important part of silhouettes and their popularity, the traditional oval frames which can hang from a small nail are often the most sought after and make a wonderful addition to a room, especially when hung as a group. One of the key makers is the famous John Miers ((1756-1821), whose silhouettes often come in elaborate frames. They can still be purchased at auction for a few hundred pounds, which is still very reasonable considering their timeless appeal.
Samuel Metford of Somerset (1810-1896), a silhouette portrait of two children, sold for £190 (hammer)
For buyers, as the trend for silhouettes perhaps hasn’t yet hit the mainstream, these can still be found easily. They can crop up at charity shops or car boot sales, with the best in class appearing in antiques centres or through dealers. They are a regular at regional auction houses, and we will be watching this trend carefully over the coming months.
To view the silhouettes in The Fine Sale, please click here.