The auction, held on 19 October at Lawrences in London, opened with a modest £8,000 estimate for a small oil on oak panel depicting a woman beside a lute and a dog. Competitive bidding pushed the hammer price to £70,000, inclusive of buyer’s premium, an 8.75‑fold jump that stunned catalogues and bidders alike.
Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, a Dutch Golden Age painter active from 1580 to 1657, is best known for his Merry Company series, scenes of convivial interiors that blend genre painting with moral caution. Lawrences curator Mark Davies noted, "The composition here—woman, lute, dog—resembles the compositional balances seen in Pot’s surviving Merry Company works, suggesting it may be the missing companion to that celebrated series." The painting’s provenance traces back to the Bailward family’s Horsington Manor collection in Somerset, adding historical depth.
The sale was part of Lawrences’ two‑day Autumn Fine Art event, where other high‑profile items outpaced their estimates: a Bidjar carpet fetched £15,000 against a £5,000 estimate, and a 17th‑century German cabinet sold for £9,375 versus a £3,000 appraisal. Such results underscore a market eager for objects with unique provenance and specialist appeal.
Art historians see the price surge as a turning point for Pot scholarship. Dr. Anjali Menon of the National Gallery, London, remarked, "This sale confirms Pot’s reach beyond the known Merry Company group, encouraging a re‑evaluation of his oeuvre and potential museum acquisitions." The painting’s new ownership, undisclosed, may open doors for future exhibitions.
Until the buyer’s identity is revealed, speculation swirls about its next home. If it lands in a private collection, the artwork will likely be displayed in a gallery setting or loaned to a museum, allowing scholars and the public to reassess its place within Pot’s broader narrative. The auction house will monitor interest for a possible resale or loan arrangement in the coming months.