September Fine Art, Design & Antiquities
Wed, Sep 30, 2026 02:00PM EDT
Lot 302
Pair of Samuel Henry Gordon Alken Oil on Canvas Paintings
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000
Unsold
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $5 |
| $50 | $10 |
| $250 | $25 |
| $1,000 | $50 |
| $2,000 | $100 |
| $4,000 | $250 |
| $10,000 | $500 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 |
| $100,000 | $5,000 |
| $500,000 | $10,000 |
Title: The Start of the Epsom Derby & The Finish of the Epsom Derby
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Provenance: Christie's Auction; Sale 9794; Lot 55
Image: each 9 3/4" x 14"
Frame: each 15 1/2" x 19"
Condition: Some paint loss in the lower right corner and light craquelure seen throughout. Some loss to the frames.
Artist Bio: Samuel Henry Gordon Alken (1810–1894), known professionally as Henry Alken Junior, was the eldest artist son of Henry Thomas Alken and the third generation of a London family that dominated British sporting art for the better part of a century. He specialized in horses — hunting, racing, coaching and winter coaching scenes — and contributed the horses to George Augustus Sala's sixty-foot panorama of the Duke of Wellington's funeral procession in 1852. He signed “H. Alken,” identical in form to his father's signature, which is the long-standing source of confusion between the two; the father died in 1851, so later-dated canvases so signed are the son's. Working in pairs and sets — a hunt or a coaching journey told in stages — was characteristic of both Alkens.
Available payment options
All out-of-state buyers: we will assume your items require shipping and will coordinate it for you unless a lot is specifically marked for local pickup only or other arrangements are made with us in advance. For smaller eligible items, including jewelry, coins, sterling silver, and select small objects, we handle shipping in-house. These shipments are fully insured, require a signature, and include a $10 handling fee added to the final shipping cost. For all other items, we coordinate shipping through a local UPS Store or another appropriate third-party shipper. Once your auction invoice has been paid, the next invoice you receive will be a separate shipping invoice directly from the shipping provider. That invoice must be paid before your items are shipped. If you prefer to use your own shipper or arrange a third-party pickup, you must let us know within 2 days of the auction closing. We will coordinate release of the items once arrangements are confirmed. To help prevent fraud, shipments will only be sent to the billing address tied to the payment method unless payment is made by wire transfer and approved in advance. All items are shipped with full declared value and full insurance. Buyers are responsible for all packing, shipping, insurance, duties, taxes, and any import or export fees. International shipping is handled on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by us before bidding. Questions can be sent to bid@sebastiancharles.com
