James Stourton applauded The Oldie Literary Lunch today while talking about his latest book Rogues and Scholars: Boom and Bust in the London Art Market, 1945–2000. James told The Oldie lunch-goers that the art world used to love a good lunch, “long after it became unfashionable in the city!”
James recounted, “My dear colleague Dick Kingsley at Agnew’s always used to say, ‘while a Cognac might mitigate against a productive afternoon, a Calvados never did!’”
James told us that Christie’s, posher than Sotheby’s, didn’t entertain dealers until 1974 when the very grand head of the Old Masters Department, Patrick Lindsay, decided to schmooze “two dealers who had nice table manners” over lunch.
Patrick invited David Somerset, later the Duke of Beaufort, and Anthony Speelman. After lunch, David turned to Anthony and said, “Now I know what it feels like being the keeper going up to the big house!”
