ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE VONA REYNOLDS COLLECTION:
A QUIETLY REMARKABLE KENTISH GIFT
In 2015, something quietly generous took place in Cranbrook. Vona Reynolds, wife of the acclaimed British abstract artist Alan Reynolds RA( 1926-2014), donated a curated selection of modern and contemporary artworks to Angley School in Cranbrook, Kent( latterly known as High Weald Academy). It was a gesture rooted in a belief that young people in Kent should have access to real, meaningful art in their everyday surroundings.
Now, 10 years on, with the school no longer in operation, the collection has been consigned to Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd, based in Chislehurst, Kent. It will be offered in the Interiors & Fine Art Auction on 15 October 2025, held at our Chislehurst saleroom.
At the heart of the collection are two standout pieces by Alan Reynolds himself, who lived and worked in Kent and remains a key figure in post-war British abstraction. Bergamasque II( Maquette), a painted card relief from the early 1970s, and Blue Structure( 1976), a signed linocut artist’ s proof, both demonstrate the elegant geometrical precision of Reynolds’ later work.
Jean( Hans) Arp( German-French, 1886-1966) Limited edition lithograph titled Yellow Form on Black Circle
Alan Reynolds RA( British, 1926-2014) Artist’ s proof linocut titled Blue Structure, 1976
Surrounding these are a varied group of works by well-known and lesser-seen names from across Britain and Europe. Highlights include a limited-edition lithograph by Jean( Hans) Arp, a vivid print by Sonia Delaunay( La Ronde, 1937-70), and a bold Max Ernst exhibition poster from 1974. An original etching by Ossip Zadkine – Le Beau Cordier( 1962) – reflects his sculptural sensibility through line and form, captured here in print. Kent’ s own artistic community is also represented in the collection, notably through the inclusion of Christine Jeffryes’ Trees( 1976), a crisp wood engraving, and a dynamic woven textile work by Yvonne Marsh( 1977). These tactile, personal pieces speak to a more intimate, craft-oriented approach to artmaking that complements the broader modernist themes of the group.
Additional works include a bold 1971 woodcut by British-born Alan Weatherley, a print after Victor Pasmore, and a tornpaper collage lithograph attributed to Nicolas de Staël, bringing further aesthetic diversity to the selection.
As we prepare to bring the Vona Reynolds Collection to market later this year on 15 October, the sale offers collectors and
Sonia Delaunay( French, 1885-1979) Limited edition lithograph titled La Ronde, 1937-70
institutions alike the opportunity to acquire works of genuine artistic interest with strong educational provenance. Quietly assembled and purposefully shared, this is a collection ready for its next chapter.
This group of 13 artworks are being sold by Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd on behalf of Leigh Academies Trust. The trust is a non-profit educational organisation headquartered in Strood, Medway. The trust supports 34 schools across Kent, Medway,
Alan Reynolds RA( British, 1926-2014) Original card relief titled Bergamasque II( Maquette) c. 1971-1972
and South East London, serving more than 20,000 students aged between two months and 19 years. The proceeds of the sale will be reinvested to support the trust’ s ongoing educational work. This collection will be sold on October 15th, 2025, at Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd Chislehurst Saleroom, as part of their Interiors & Fine Art auction.
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