Derbyshire business chief hopes to raise five times the price he paid for award-winning sculptor's work bought on a whim

A Derbyshire business boss hopes to reap five times the amount of money he paid for a striking sculpture after accidentally bidding against himself!
By Gay Bolton
Published 18th Aug 2022, 08:00 BST
Updated 18th Aug 2022, 08:01 BST
Hansons valuer Karl Martin with the Malcolm Robertson sculpture outside the Etwall showroom.Hansons valuer Karl Martin with the Malcolm Robertson sculpture outside the Etwall showroom.
Hansons valuer Karl Martin with the Malcolm Robertson sculpture outside the Etwall showroom.

Gareth Palmer, managing director of Caladen of Long Eaton, enjoys buying and selling all manner of things on eBay, including limited edition sculptures.

A random internet search last October led him to a striking artwork entitled Twisting by the pool, crafted by Malcolm Robertson.

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Made in 1996, the sculpture was commissioned by a company in Rosyth, Scotland, for their grounds but when their factory closed, the artwork was sold off.

Gareth Palmer, who runs a company in Long Eaton, bought a sculpture that cost £70,000 to create 26 years ago for less than £20,00 on eBay last year.Gareth Palmer, who runs a company in Long Eaton, bought a sculpture that cost £70,000 to create 26 years ago for less than £20,00 on eBay last year.
Gareth Palmer, who runs a company in Long Eaton, bought a sculpture that cost £70,000 to create 26 years ago for less than £20,00 on eBay last year.

A Scottish blacksmith bought the tall sculpture and kept it in his yard before deciding to sell and it ended up on eBay.

Gareth admitted that he had drunk a bottle and a bit of wine when he started bidding for the sculpture. As the price climbed, Gareth thought he was being outbid, only to discover he was bidding against himself! He has two eBay accounts, one on his iPad and one on his iPhone.

He sealed the deal at less than £20,000 and it cost him around £5,500 to transport it from Scotland to Derbyshire. There was one failed collection attempt because the seller told him it was four metres high. It turned out to be 4.4m and they couldn’t get it under a low bridge. That cost him £600. The cargo also ended up with a police escort which cost another £800!

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Eventually the sculpture arrived in Derbyshire and has been hidden away in a builder’s yard at Shardlow ever since.

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The artwork originally cost £70,000 when it was made 26 years ago and its creator is a multiple award-winning sculptor whose work features in private collections in the UK and abroad.

Gareth, 62, whose company supplies microduct and pneumatic connectors, feels that the piece deserved to be put on public show and has decided to put it up for sale, the first time that one of Robertson’s sculptures has been available at a traditional auction.

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An estimate of between £30,000 to £50,000 has been placed on the sculpture but Gareth thinks it’s worth £100,000. He’s hoping for a Del-Boy moment at the auction – falling over backwards with shock as the hammer falls.

Twisting by the pool is currently standing tall outside Hansons showroom in Etwall where it will be auctioned on September 27. Further entries are invited for the 20th Century Design Auction that day. To find out more or arrange a free valuation, email Barry Jones: [email protected].

Related topics:DerbyshireScotland