George Baxter's Regional Travelling Sales 1860 - 1863
Baxter’s ‘retirement’ sale at Southgate and Barrett in May 1860, which you can read about in full HERE, was not a success. It was stated by Clarke in 1920/21 that only half of the ‘upwards of 100,000’ prints were sold. Baxter then proceeded with a number of regional travelling sales.
These sales have been mentioned in the past – Courtney Lewis in The Picture printer in 1924 mentions 4 or 5 sales. Mitzman in ‘George Baxter and the Baxter Prints’ in 1978 (p61) states that regional sales “were held in Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Derby, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Wolverhampton. While at Wolverhampton his Manager was injured in a railway accident and Baxter had to abandon this method of disposing of his goods.” For many years after reading these writers details about these sales my perception had always been that there were only a few sales during the early 1860’s.
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In fact my research at the British Newspaper Archive has unearthed at least forty one sales (I feel sure there are others that I haven’t yet uncovered) over a 3 year period. Some were advertised ‘for X date and X date and the following five days’ or ‘from X for a few days’ but my impression is that the dates were flexible, if the sales were going well and they didn’t have to be at the next venue they would think nothing of staying on. The sale in Sheffield in December 1860 appears to have run from the 1st to the 29th December and would have only closed on Sundays and Christmas Day.
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The wording of the adverts for these sales was generally very similar, most stating Baxter ‘having retired from his artistic labours’. They were advertised as an exhibition with viewing from around noon with sales in the evening. Many sales “by the wish of many gentlemen of the neighbourhood who are unable to attend in the evening” also had afternoon or even morning sales. Most of the details of the sales are taken from Baxter’s own adverts but some are also reviewed by the editorial staff of the local newspapers. Sometimes the wording of these reviews is very similar and I must conclude that they were most probably sent a ‘press release’ and possibly sample prints or perhaps an invitation to attend and receive information about the prints and the process there.
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The number of prints available was quoted in most adverts as, again, 100,000, mentioned right from the first advert in June 1860 up until the end, three years later, the last few sales actually quoted a figure of 300,000 prints! Mr Beane was the auctioneer for the first few sales and then Mr Vincent Davis seems to take over, he is described as Baxter’s Manager and Auctioneer in a July 1863 advert and I feel he was most probably an employee of Baxter’s. He ran most of the sales all the way through till July 1863 when he had an accident, Baxter appears to have only held one sale after that.
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I can find no sales in London, perhaps he didn’t want to impact his London wholesale sales, which presumably he was still making and also any retail sales he made directly from his premises at 12 Northampton Square. Of the 41 sales I can find, 7 were in Scotland, all between 26th August and 6th December 1861. Of the remaining 34 only 9 were located below Birmingham the majority being in that town or further north. Roughly speaking Birmingham is the centre of the country with no sales in Wales.
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The actual dates shown are my best estimates from adverts seen but could have started and finished slightly earlier or later on occasions. When you look at the dates you will see that this must have been virtually a full time job, sometimes with only three days between sales to pack up, move everything to the next venue and then prepare. When you think travel at this time would have most probably been by rail, by 1860 the rail network covered 10,433 miles (Wikipedia), and then onward travel by horse drawn carriage or cart. If the volumes of prints that they mention are true it must have been a major feat and the number of sales would have entailed Mr Davis at least being away from home for many weeks or even months of the year. I am sure local people were hired in the towns to assist, Mr Davis possibly being the only constant person.
Would Baxter have been in attendance? I do not know if he attended all or in fact any of these sales, some of the adverts definitely infer that he was “at Leeds where Mr Baxter has lately been exhibiting and selling his pictures” (Sept 1860) “Mr Baxter has been obliged to discontinue his sales by auction in consequence of the injury” (July 1863).
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The feeling I get having researched Baxter for many years is that he wouldn’t leave someone, even a trusted employee, to completely look after such an important event as the retail sales of his stock. Previously he would have mainly sold wholesale direct to print dealers, now he was appealing to the end user. On occasion it was mentioned that he exhibited the water colour of Christening of the Prince of Wales and also some of his gold and silver medals. Would he have entrusted these to a third party?
I feel that he would have attended at least some of the sales, in fact we know he sketched Rob Roy’s Castle, about 58 miles north of Glasgow, on Oct 20th 1861, a date that sits just between his sales in Aberdeen and Glasgow, surely that can’t be a coincidence. We also know that he visited Sheffield to look for a venue to hold his sale and then later attended at least one of the actual sales held there at the Mechanics Lecture Hall (Dec 1860). This was recalled by Mr Parkinson in The Baxter Times of June 1923. Mr Parkinson also said that he and Baxter went together to see Jenny Lind perform at the Music Hall in Sheffield. This must be for her concert on 27th March 1862 which straddles the dates of two of his sales in York confirming he most probably would have attended at least one of those dates, further information can be found HERE
I am very lucky to have seen one of Baxter’s own sale posters for Onslow Lecture Hall, held between Feb 14th – 25th 1863 and rather strangely the Lots listed are incredibly similar to a sale poster that Courtney Lewis details in The Picture Printer 1924 (p 544) for another of these sales at Royal Albert Rooms, College Green in Bristol held nearly two years earlier May 17th – 29th 1861. These two posters, although dated virtually two years apart, have basically the same prints for sale, that can’t be coincidental and we must assume that this list was used for most if not all of these sales. Did Baxter have so many copies of certain prints that he could sell them at every sale over this period? It is possible that, with some, he did but during this period he must have been still printing some of these prints to keep up with the demand of his most popular prints.
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Above - part of Baxter's advertising poster for his sale at the Onslow Lecture Hall in Brompton that took place February 1863 and to the left an advertising card, possibly for use at or near the hall featuring Baxter's 'Hollyhocks' and Baxter's text from the poster (as above) for the venue, in this case Royal Albert Rooms in Bristol for the sale that took place May 1861 - both are very rare items.
Some prints appear on the list that technically hadn’t been printed for a number of years. The Reception and Massacre of Williams is Lot no 120 but only 10 pairs had appeared in the 1860 auction stating “a few copies discovered in stock”. Lot 151 was Baptism in Jamaica and Lot 99 and 100 were The Coronation and The Opening of Parliament both in sepia, no copies of these three prints were included in the 1860 auction. They were all too important to be listed in the 1860 auction in a mass Lot and described just as ‘and others’. I have reviewed the Onslow Lecture Hall poster in more detail with images, and hopefully I have found some answers, this can be read in detail HERE.
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Baxter also used advertising posters which were basically a Baxter print with details of the sale, most probably taken from the sale poster, which were placed in windows or perhaps on the doors of the venues. I know of two such copies of these rare items and again give full details HERE.
Below I note transcripts of advertisements from the forty one sales found to date. Some are noted in full but as most follow a similar format the majority just note the basic details. Most of these advertisements are courtesy of www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk I have illustrated some sample advertisements but if anyone would like to see any I haven't shown, please feel free to contact me.
​​1860 June 26th – 29th - The Birmingham Daily post – Tuesday 26 June 1860 - “The remaining stock of Mr George Baxter’s valuable collection of oil pictures will be sold by auction (by order of the patentee who is retiring from his artistic labours) by Mr Beane at the Temperance Hall Birmingham this evening (Tuesday) June 26th tomorrow evening (Wednesday) June 27 Thursday evening June 28 and Friday evening June 29 at 6 for half past 6 o’clock. - Also by the wish of many gentlemen of the neighbourhood who are unable to attend in the evening, there will be three morning sales which will take place on the following days:- On Thursday
The Birmingham Daily Post - June 26th 1860 - image courtesy of wwwbritishnewspaperarchive,co,uk
morning June 28 Friday morning June 29 and Saturday morning June 30. The sale will commence each morning precisely at Two o’clock. May be viewed and catalogue had at the hall of each day sale.
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1860 July 26th – 2nd August - The Liverpool Mercury – August 2 1860 - “The remaining stock of Mr George Baxter’s valuable collection of oil pictures Mr Beane solicits the honour of a visit at the Queens Hall Bold Street (Liverpool) the day (Thursday) the 2nd August from ten o’clock am to view these splendid specimens of art. Upwards of 100,000 of these beautiful productions will be sold by auction. The sale will commence this morning at 2 o’clock and in the evening at 7 o’clock precisely. The Liverpool Daily Post, dated 26th July states “this day until the 2nd August”
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1860 August 13th – 18th +? – The Liverpool Mail Aug 11 1860 – “renewed sale of Baxter’s Oil Pictures – Mr Beane respectfully intimates that, as many of the Ladies and Gentlemen of Liverpool and Foreign Merchants were unable to attend the sale of those beautiful productions of art so universally admired at the Queen Hall during the past week the inventor and Patentee has decided upon resuming the sale by Auction – At the Royal Assembly Rooms, Great George Street (Liverpool) on Monday Evening next the 13th Instant and five following days(18th) …” The Liverpool Daily Post August 10 1860 confirms “open for view tomorrow (Saturday) morning the 11th Instant”. An advert in the same paper dated 18th Aug states “Positively the last day of the renewed sale of Baxter’s…This (Saturday) Evening the 18th Instant…” The Northern Daily Times dated Monday 20th August confusingly states there will a sale “This (Monday) Evening the 18th and then again in their 21st August issue “This (Tuesday) Evening the 18th instant” the last two having an obvious typographic error but proves that dates were very flexible to them.
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1860 September 1st – 12th – The Manchester Courier – Sept 1 1860 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s oil Pictures – The remaining stock consisting of many thousands of these beautiful productions will be exhibited at the Great Exhibition Room, Royal Exchange, Manchester on this and following days…”The same paper dated Sept 8 1860 – The last three days of sale. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (10th, 11th, 12th) next…” A review in the same paper also dated Sept 1st states that “Mr Beane has been commissioned by Mr Baxter…”
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1860 September 24th – 29th – The Bolton Chronicle – Sept 22 1860 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures at the Assembly Rooms, Bolton Baths on Monday September 24th and five following days (29th) …The remaining stock consisting of upwards of 100,000 of these beautiful productions will be sold by auction…” – In a separate advert directly below the above “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures – To merchants &c desirous of investing for exportation this is a favourable opportunity, as the pictures cannot be obtained in any other way than by attending these sales – By Order of the Patentee”
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1860 October 8th – 23rd – The Leeds Intelligencer Oct 6 1860 - “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures Mr Davis solicits the honour of a visit from the Nobility and Gentry of Leeds and Neighbourhood at the Stock Exchange (Leeds) to view…The Exhibition will be open for view on Monday and Tuesday next (8th & 9th) at ten o’clock am and on Wednesday evening the first sale will commence at six for half past six o’clock and continue every evening for a short period” An advert in the Leeds Times dated Oct 20 1860 states that the 23rd will the last day of sales
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1860 – October 27th - 3rd November – The Bradford Review – Nov 3 1860 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures – Mr V Davis begs...Now exhibiting at the Exchange Rooms Bradford…The remaining stock of upwards of 100,000…will be sold at auction…”Directly below there is another advert with basic sale information and then no less than six newspaper reviews. One is from the Bradford Review dated Oct 25th, so by Nov 3rd the exhibition may have been on for a few days already. Another is from Leeds Mercury and dated Oct 2 1860 and two others in Leeds Express and Leeds Times both dated Oct 20 1860, being during the auction in Leeds above. Some of the quotes from those reviews state “The picture after Landseer ‘Dogs of St Bernard’ is a beautiful specimen of the art. The plates and preparation cost upwards of £1000 (quoted by two reviews but another states £2000) before a single copy was printed. And yet at Leeds where Mr Baxter has lately been exhibiting and selling his pictures copies of this were sold for a few shillings…The same paper dated 27th October has an advert with no dates and includes three of the reviews seen in the 3rd Nov advert. In the same issue is an article on the sale, so it must be open by that date.
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1860 December 1st – 29th – Sheffield and Rotherham Independent – Dec 1 1860 – “…at the Mechanics Lecture Hall Surrey Street Sheffield on view each day…” Another Sheffield Newspaper dated 1st Dec says the exhibition is open next week, so week commencing 3rd December. Sheffield Daily Telegraph and possibly others on most days between 7th – 29th December 1860 including the 24th and 26th Dec, so closed just on Sundays and Christmas Day? “Exhibition of Baxter Oil Pictures – Mr Davis solicits the honour…remaining stock consisting of upwards of 100,000…” Additional items of information can be seen in some adverts – One states “No pictures sold privately” so sticking to the auction format, another states the prints are “disposed of at the sales for a few shillings superior to paintings that cost £50 or £60…By express desire the sales will continue a few days longer.” Eadon & Son, an aspiring local business, placed an advert directly underneath Baxter’s advert in number of issues stating ”Frames for Baxter’s Pictures…Good & Cheap”.
Mr Parkinson talking in The Baxter Times of June 1923 recalls that his father, having met Baxter when he was in Sheffield to secure a venue for his sale, met him again during the actual sale. He said initially the sales had gone well but, due to the ongoing volume of sales, interest had started to wane so Baxter hired men to walk the streets with large billboards advertising “Baxter’s Oil Prints”. He also states that Baxter held another later sale in Sheffield at Siddall’s Auction Rooms, Chapel Walk where some prints were sold at 2s 6d per dozen. I haven’t found any details of this sale and I wonder if this was in fact one of Baxter’s own sales or just an auction sale that had included a large selection of prints.
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1861 January 7th – 12th – Huddersfield Chronicle – Jan 5 1861 – “Philosophical Hall Huddersfield – Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures…Mr Davis respectfully informs…Monday January 7th, Tuesday 8th, Wednesday 9th, Thursday 10th, Friday 11th and Saturday the 12th”
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1861 January 16th – 23rd – Derby Mercury – Jan 16 1861 – “Athenaeum Room Derby – Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures…Mr Davis respectfully informs… upwards of 100,000 of his celebrated oil pictures on Wednesday January 16th Thursday 17th Friday 18th Saturday 19th Monday 21st and Wednesday the 23rd…”
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1861 February 5th – 9th – Leicester Journal Feb 1 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures Mr Davis solicits the honour of a visits at The Temperance Hall Leicester…will be sold by auction on Tuesday February 5th, Wednesday the 6th and the three following days (9th) by order of the Patentee…”
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1861 February 19th – 23rd – Northampton Mercury – Feb 16 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures – Mr Davis solicits the honour of a visit to the Lecture Hall Gold Street Northampton…will be sold by auction on Tuesday Feb 19th Wednesday the 20th and the three following days…” The same paper dated Feb 23 1861 confirms the sale ends on that day “The last sale of Baxter’s Oil Pictures…”
Leamington Advertiser February 21st 1861 - image courtesy of www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
​​1861 February 26th – 5th March – Leamington Advertiser – Feb 21 1861 – Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures – Mr Davis solicits the honour of a visit to the Music Hall, Bath Street, Leamington…consisting of thousands of these beautiful productions will be Sold at Auction on Tuesday Feb 26 and Wednesday Feb 27 and the three following days (2nd March) by order of the Patentee who has retired from his artistic labours…”Another advert in the same paper dated 28th Feb states auctions Feb 28 and Fri March 1 and the following three days (5th) ”, obviously extended.
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1861 March 8th – 14th – Oxford Chronicle March 9 1861 - “Star Assembly Room, Star Hotel Oxford by permission of the Rev the Vice Chancellor and the Right Worshipful the Mayor - Exhibition of Baxter's Oil Pictures! On view each day! Admission Free!! – Mr Davis respectfully informs the Nobility, Gentry and Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood, that he has received instructions from the Patentee, who has retired from his artistic Labours, to Sell by Auction, the remaining stock, consisting of Thousands of his celebrated Oil Pictures on Friday March 8th, Saturday 9th, Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th, Wednesday, 13th and Thursday 14th – The sale will commence at half past six o’clock – The exhibition will be open each day at Ten o’clock”.
​​1861 March 18th – 23rd – Reading Mercury – March 16 1861 – New Hall Reading – “Mr Davis respectfully…on Monday March 18th, Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th and on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd…” The Berkshire Chronicle – March 23 1861 confirms “This day (Saturday) being the last day of sale…During the sales other important Lots will be sold not mentioned in the Catalogue” The Reading Mercury of March 23rd states “Mr Baxter is about retiring from his artistic labours and we understand that his entire stock of pictures is disposed of, with the exception of those in the New Hall…” Well apart from the ones they continued selling for the next 2 years!
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1861 May 17th – 29th+ – Western Daily Press – May 17 1861 – “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – It will be observed from our advertisement columns that a sale of Baxter’s celebrated oil pictures is to commence at the Royal Albert Rooms College Green (Bristol) this Friday (17th) …”The same paper dated May 27th states “…is to continue for a few days longer…”
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1861 June 12th – 14th – Gloucester Chronicle – June 8 1861 – “Three Days Only – Wednesday June 12, Thursday 13, Friday 14 Corn Exchange Rooms Southgate Street, Gloucester…Mr Davis respectfully informs…”
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1861 June 26th – 1st July - The Staffordshire Advertiser – Saturday June 22 1861 - “The remaining stock of Mr George Baxter’s valuable collection of oil pictures on view all day on Tuesday next at St Georges Hall Wolverhampton - To be sold by auction by Mr Davis by order of the patentee who is retiring from his artistic labours at the above hall on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday June 26, 27, 28, 29 and Monday July 1 commencing at 7 o’clock in the evening - Also by the wish of many gentlemen of the neighbourhood there will be three morning sales that will take place on the following days Wednesday June 26th, Friday June 28th and Monday July 1st at twelve o’clock each morning.”
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1861 July 9th - ? – Chester Courant – July 10 1861 – “For a few Days only – Music Hall Chester – The remaining stock of Baxter’s Oil Pictures will be on view at the above hall commencing Tuesday July 9th 1861…”
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1861 August 6th – 10th – The Carlisle Journal Aug 6 1861 – A review appears stating “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – We have pleasure in calling attention to an announcement in another column of an exhibition and sale of Baxter’s Oil Pictures in Carlisle…Another review in the Carlisle Patriot for the 10th August states there is a sale going on in the Mechanics Hall (Carlisle).
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1861 August 26th – 7th September – Glasgow Herald – Aug 26 1861 – Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures at The Trades Hall Glasgow…August 26 for one week” Another advert in Glasgow Saturday Post – Sept 7 1861 states “continues daily to attract the attention of all lovers of the fine arts..” so obviously extended.
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1861 Sept 23rd – 28th – Stirling Observer – Sept 19 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures at The Corn Exchange (Stirling) On Monday (23rd ) and five following days…” so till Saturday 28th. The Stirling Observer and Midland Counties Advertiser dated the same day states “Mr Baxter having sometime since retired from artistic labours the remaining stock of his works has been entrusted to Mr Vincent Davis”
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1861 October 4th - ? – The Dundee Advertiser – Oct 4 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter Oil Pictures…has been opened in the Exchange Buildings Castle Street (Dundee)…
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1861 Oct 16th – 19th? – The Aberdeen Journal – Oct 16 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s celebrated oil pictures will be on view in the Music Hall Buildings Aberdeen for a few days – Free admission
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1861 – November 5th - ? – Glasgow Herald – Nov 5 1861 – “Exhibition of Baxter’s Oil Pictures at the Queen Rooms (Glasgow) – Sale this day…
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1861 Nov 15th – 21st - The Falkirk Herald – Thursday November 21 1861 - “EXHIBITION OF BAXTER’S OIL PICTURES - The admirers of the work of Mr George Baxter have now the opportunity of witnessing a large number of most splendid pictures (produced on the principles for which he is so well known) in the Freemasons Hall George Street Edinburgh...Secured for Mr Baxter of worldwide fame. Mr Baxter, having retired from his artistic labours after 35 years close and successful application, the remaining stock of his works have been entrusted to a Mr Davis to be disposed of under the hammer” - A second article in The Caledonian Mercury – Saturday November 16 1861 states “BAXTER’S CELEBRATED OIL PICTURES” - A review of exhibition at the and states “one most attractive print (sic) is the christening of the Prince of Wales. This picture was sketched and painted on cardboard in watercolours by Mr Baxter during the baptism from the royal platform in the chapel at Windsor Castle by the express command of Her Majesty... the sale which commenced yesterday is to be continued for a day or two”.
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1861 – November 28th – 6th December – The Edinburgh Evening Courant – Nov 28 1861 - “Calton Convening Rooms (Edinburgh) – The last and final sales of Baxter’s celebrated Oil Pictures – Mr Davis having closed his sales in the Freemasons’ Hall, West End by particular request of numerous parties in the City, he intends giving an exhibition and sales for a few days in the above rooms where the sales of Baxter’s Oil Pictures will finally close in Scotland - Commencing tomorrow Thursday 28th – Morning sales at 3 o’clock – Evening at half past six”. The same paper on Dec 4 1861 states the sales will close on Dec 6 1861.
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1862 – January 21st – 25th February – Newcastle Guardian – Jan 18 1862 – “Academy of Arts, Blackett Street, Newcastle - Exhibition of Baxter’s Celebrated Oil prints admission free will open on Tuesday the 21st January – Mr Davis respectfully…” The same paper dated Feb 22nd states “Will finally close on Tues next” (25th Feb)
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1862 March 25th - ? – Yorkshire Gazette – March 22 1862 – Baxter’s Oil Pictures – The Lovers of art have in store in (sic) great treat in the exhibition of Baxter’s famous oil paintings which will be opened on Tuesday next (25th March) at the Lecture Hall Goodramgate (York)
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1862 March 29th - ? – The York Herald – March 29 1862 – “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – We would remind the lovers of art that a treat of no ordinary kind is now open for them at the exhibition of Baxter’s famous oil pictures in the De Grey Rooms (York)“
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1862 June 4th – 6th – Lincolnshire Chronicle – May 30 1862 – “Oil prints our readers will perceive from an advertisement in another column that the remaining stock of Baxter’s oil pictures will be exhibited for sale in the Corn Exchange (Lincoln) on Wednesday in next week (4th June) and two following days…”
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1862 July ? – 4th - The Nottingham and Midland Counties Daily Express – Friday July 4 1862 – “BAXTER OIL PAINTINGS - We have had many collections of pictures exhibited in Nottingham of late... the collection is the remainder of the stock produced by the celebrated patent process of Mr George Baxter who has retired from his artistic labours and has entrusted Mr Vincent Davis with their disposal by auction... Not the least interesting features of the exhibition is the collection of gold and silver medals which the patentee has obtained from continental sovereigns. The exhibition which has hitherto been well patronised will close this evening”. A separate advert in the Nottingham Journal also dated 4th July 182 confirms the full address as Exchange Rooms Nottingham.
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1862 July 14th -? – Derbyshire Times – July 12 1862 – “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – A very attractive exhibition to all lovers of the fine arts is to open at the Market Hall (Derby) on Monday next (14th). We refer to Baxter’s celebrated pictures in oil”
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1862 July 23rd – The Grantham Journal July 19 1862 – “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – A sale of Baxter celebrated prints in oil colours is announced to take place in the Corn Exchange, Westgate (Grantham) on Wednesday next (23rd July)
1862 Sept 8th – 10th? – Hampshire Telegraph & Sussex Chronicle Sept 6 1862 – The Exhibition of Mr George Baxter’s Valuable Collection of Patent Oil Pictures with the Original picture of “The Christening of HRH the Prince of Wales painted by Command of Her Majesty – Mr Coates begs to announce that these beautiful Pictures will be on view at the St George’s Hall, Portsea on Monday 8th and continue for a few days from 10 am to 4pm and in the Evening will re-open at six o’clock – admission sixpence – so who is Mr Coates, an employee of Bryett & Son? Note there appears to be no auction at this time, perhaps they were then charging whilst awaiting the auction at the same venue later that month
Top - Baxter's painting The Christening of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales on display at an unusual exhibition with no sale perhaps a precursor to the actual sale two weeks later
at the same venue, perhaps an idea of this auction company who only ran this one auction - Hampshire Telegraph & Sussex Chronicle - Sept 6 1862 and Portsmouth Times & Naval Gazette - Sept 27 1862 - both images courtesy of www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
​1862 Sept 26th – 27th - Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette – Sept 27 1862 – St George’s Hall Portsea – Bryett & Son are favoured with instructions from Mr George Baxter, who is retiring from the business, to sell by auction, on Friday and Saturday September 26th and 27th 1862 at three o’clock in the afternoon, and in the evening at 7, punctually – The remaining portion of his stock if upwards of 100,000 patent Oil Pictures - May be viewed the morning of the sale between the hours of 12 and 3 and catalogues obtained at St George’s Hall Portsea, or of the auctioneers 61 High Street Gosport.
1862 November 12th - 19th – The Brighton Guardian – Nov 5 1862 – “The Old Ship Ball Room Brighton Commencing on Wednesday November 12th 1862 – For One week only…Mr Davis begs to inform…portion of 300,000 of the Patentees…”
Was this a typo? - 300,000 prints unlikely as it also appears in three subsequent adverts - The Brighton Guardian - Nov 5 1862 image courtesy of www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
​​1863 Feb 14th – 25th - The West Middlesex Advertiser - Feb 14 1863 - Onslow Lecture Hall, Queen’s Elm, Fulham Road, Brompton – An advert plus also an editorial review which states, “Also in Trade’s Hall” Auction by Mr Davis 2:30 & 7pm daily - The advertising poster states that it was held over three days and was “the remaining portion of 300,000 of the patentees valuable productions” a second advert dated Saturday 21st Feb states “will finally close Wednesday next” so 25th Feb – The review states includes prints of Williams, Moffat and other Missionaries, so still printing these until 1860 or old stock?
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1863 June 10th – 13th ? – Birmingham Daily Gazette – June 10 1863 – “Odd Fellows Hall, Temple Street, Birmingham this day (Wednesday June 10…Mr Davis begs…remaining portion of 300,000 of the Patentees valuable productions (which were intended for Paris)…” Aris’s Birmingham Gazette states sale is also on June 13th
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1863 July ? – 14th – The Birmingham Daily Gazette – July 13 1863 – “Baxter’s Oil Pictures – Mr Baxter has been obliged to discontinue his sales by auction in consequence of the injury of his manager and auctioneer, Mr Davis, sustained by the unfortunate Railway Accident at Wolverhampton on Monday last (so 6th July) – To prevent disappointment to those Gentlemen residing in Birmingham and surrounding districts who have received invites, the exhibition will continue open until tomorrow (Tuesday) the 14th Inst – Odd Fellows Hall Temple Street (Birmingham) July 7th 1861” - Although this could have been one long auction running from June 10th to July 14th I feel this must have been two separate sales, as unlike Sheffield in Dec 1860 which ran virtually daily adverts for 29 days I could find no such adverts for the intermediate dates for this venue.
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1863 August 17th – 19th – Weston Super Mare Gazette Aug 15 1863 – Mr Norton (Mr Davis’s replacement?) begs to inform…the remaining portion of 300,000… at the Assembly Rooms Weston Super Mare for three days only – Monday Aug 17th. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th…
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While writing my article on the advertising posters for these sales I found a mention of one poster for a sale in Town Hall Ryde, Isle of Wight".... so still more to find
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