Chris Hancock studied Architecture and Design in London during the late Sixties/early Seventies. He worked for a Architectural and Design firm in London, eventually taking over the company in the late Seventies. From a very young age Chris was an enthusiastic collector of varied memorabilia. Like many young boys growing up in the immediate post war years he was an avid hoarder of a large selection of Dinky toys. While his fascination with toys waned, his collecting instinct did not diminish and grew into a lifelong passion.
Based in London throughout his career, he had ready access to all the galleries and auction houses which enabled him to pursue his passion for collecting, beginning with a single purchase of a Royal Doulton vase. While at college he discovered and admired the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Art Nouveau movement. This was followed by a by a wider interest in all Twentieth Century Art, Ceramics and Furniture. He became an early member of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. As the scope of his interest grew, he joined many other societies including The Thirties Society (subsequently the Twentieth Century Society), and the Decorative Arts Society, expanding his knowledge in all of these fields. Chris particularly enjoyed these Societies’ many trips, with others who shared his interests, within the UK, Europe and worldwide. He had a limitless appetite for knowledge about Twentieth Century art and design which stayed with him throughout his life.
Chris’s wife, Carole adds: “Living with Chris was akin to living with a museum curator with his own private museum. Life was always interesting, and I learnt an immense amount from him. There were always new pieces of art works coming into the house and fighting for space on a wall or in a cabinet. He was precise about where items should be placed and could always spot if a painting or piece of pottery had been moved! His ‘museum’ was also a family home to three lively boys and several pets over the years. Although much of the collection was quite susceptible to accidents, it is remarkable that very few occurred. We lived alongside this fascinating collection as it grew over fifty years and Chris thoroughly enjoyed showing it to likeminded people”.
Lyon & Turnbull’s Decorative Arts & Design specialists are renowned for both their knowledge and their sales of artworks conducted from London and Edinburgh and via our live online auctions. Our specialists are experts not only on design from 1860 to the present, but also on current market conditions, an essential combination to any successful auction.
Lyon & Turnbull are a leading auction house in Modern, Post War and Contemporary Design, holding specialist live and online Design auctions in London and Edinburgh that are known for their international reach and strong results.
Our sales cover all the major movements from Pre-War French and British Modernism and Art Deco, to works from the Mid-Century and Post-War, including Italian and Nordic Design, European and American Modernism, Studio Craft through to Contemporary Design, Glass and Studio & Contemporary Ceramics.
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