London, Wednesday 12 March

Private Collection of Late Antiques Roadshow Presenter and Former Director of Christie's Hugo Morley-Fletcher Doubles its Estimate at Auction

12 March 2025

Family portraits of important historic Scottish figures that once hung in Yester House in Scotland among the top lots.

High res images here. Please credit Roseberys.

Fine & Decorative: Tuesday 11 March

Old Master, British & European Pictures: Wednesday 12 March

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The collection of the late Hugo Morley-Fletcher, former Antiques Roadshow presenter, has sold for double its low estimate at Roseberys, a South London-based auction house. The collection was sold across Roseberys’ Fine & Decorative and Old Master, British & European Pictures auctions, held on 11 and 12 March respectively. It included ancestral portraits from the historic Yester House, Morley-Fletcher’s former family home, as well as historic European porcelain from his private collection, reflecting his specialism in ceramics. The collection realised a total of £249,201 across both sales, soaring over its £120,638 low estimate (including buyer’s premium).

Lot 3: David Scougall, Scottish, fl.1654-1672- Portrait of a lady identified as Lady Margaret Hay Price realised: £39,000

The Old Master, British & European Pictures auction featured 14 paintings and drawings from Morley-Fletcher’s collection, achieving a 100% sell-through rate. Leading the sale was a portrait in oils on canvas of Lady Margaret Hay, Countess of Roxburghe, by the renowned Scottish portraitist David Scougall, painted in the 17th century. The painting achieved £39,000 against a £6,000 estimate. It came to Roseberys with excellent provenance, descending from The Marquess of Tweeddale to Lady Daphne Stewart, and was previously exhibited at The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the 1976 exhibition ‘Childhood in 17th Century Scotland’. Depicting a young woman in an elegant silk dress and pearls, the portrait once adorned the walls of Yester House. It attracted fierce bidding over the phones and online, ultimately selling to a private collection.

Lot 5: Studio of Sir Peter Lely, English / Dutch 1618-1680- Portrait of Lady Jane Scott of Buccleuch Price realised: £25,260

Other notable sales included two works from the studio of Sir Peter Lely. A portrait of Lady Jane Scott of Buccleuch, 1st Marchioness of Tweeddale, realised £25,260 over a £7,000 estimate. The sitter, who married John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale, in 1644, later became the 1st Marchioness of Tweeddale. Another portrait, of John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale, achieved £24,568 against a £8,000 estimate. Maitland was a significant Restoration politician, serving on the Privy Councils of England and Scotland and playing a key role in efforts to persuade King Charles I to establish Presbyterianism. He later became Secretary of State for Scotland from 1660 to 1680.

Lot 4: Studio of Sir Peter Lely, English / Dutch 1618-1680- Portrait of John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale Price realised: £24,568

A later work by Alexander Nasmyth, considered the founder of Scottish landscape painting, also achieved a strong result. Depicting Scottish Peer George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale, the great-grandson of John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale, with his horse and two dogs in an extensive landscape, the painting demonstrates the artist’s skill in both portraiture and landscape painting. It sold for £31,200 against a £10,000 estimate to a private collection.

Lot 13: Alexander Nasmyth, Scottish 1758-1840- Portrait of a gentleman Price realised: £31,200

It was a privilege to have a collection of this calibre, with such excellent provenance, at Roseberys. It reflects centuries of Scottish art history and the central role that Hugo Morley-Fletcher’s family played as patrons of the arts. Hugo worked tirelessly to trace and re-acquire his family’s collection, and I am thrilled that these works achieved such fantastic prices.

Lara L’vov-Basirov, Head of Old Master, British & European Pictures at Roseberys

Roseberys’ Fine & Decorative sale on 11 March contained 64 lots from Hugo’s personal collection, achieving a 98.5% sell-through rate. It included a significant group of historic ceramics, with the major European porcelain manufacturers represented, reflecting his deep expertise in the field. Appointed Head of Christie’s European Ceramics department at the age of 29, Morley-Fletcher was also one of the founding members of the French Porcelain Society. As a collector, he prioritised historic interest and quality over market value.

Lot 43: A Worcester Barr, Flight and Barr plate from the Stowe Service, c.1813-14 Price Realised: £7,347

The star lot of the ceramics section was a plate produced by the prestigious Worcester porcelain manufacturer Barr, Flight and Barr, from the famed Stowe Service, dating from circa 1813-14. The plate features the full arms of the 2nd Marquess of Buckingham and his wife, supported by a red and gold lion and a white horse, above the motto 'Templa Quam Dilecta' (‘How Beautiful are thy Temples’). Following intense bidding on the phones and online, it sold to a private buyer for £7,347, exceeding its £3,000 estimate.

Porcelain was Hugo’s lifelong fascination, and this auction offered buyers a rare opportunity to acquire works from the collection of a true connoisseur. The sale was viewed and admired by a huge number of clients, resulting in competitive bidding and only one unsold lot. The new owners have become the next custodians of many beautiful works and furthering their already rich history.

Anna Evans, Associate Director and Head of Furniture & Works of Art, Fine & Decorative Sculpture & Clocks at Roseberys

ENDS

High res images available for editorial use here. Please credit Roseberys.
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About Roseberys:

Operating in London for more than 30 years, Roseberys Fine Art Auctioneers is a privately owned specialist fine art and antiques auction house and valuers, located in the heart of South London.

The team of world renowned experts and consultants offer both buyers and sellers a range of specialist art market services and a calendar of over 30 specialist auctions a year covering all areas of Asian Arts, Islamic & Indian Art, Jewellery & Watches, Old Master, 18th & 19th Century Art, Modern British & Contemporary British Art, Urban & Contemporary Prints & Multiples, 20th Century Art & Design, Impressionist, Modern, Post War & Contemporary Art and Decorative Arts, Fine & Decorative sales including Silver, Ceramics, Works of Art and Furniture.

In addition to hosting over 30 specialist auctions annually, Roseberys offers single-owner collection sales. Recent highlights include the Mary & Alan Hobart Collection (founders of Pyms Gallery), an Important Private Collection of Chinese Imperial Porcelain and The George Farrow Collection.

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