Editor's Letter:

There are many joyful moments in the auction business. When a client is thrilled with a result takes some beating – as does the point during an auction itself when the price of a lot takes wing. But most of the specialists will say that discovering – or rediscovering – a lost masterpiece provides one of the greatest sense of achievements of all.

This is what William O'Reilly, Director of Impressionist Art in New York, experienced when he 'found' a painting by Degas that had slipped off the published record. The jewel-like Danseuses et Contrebasse – a heart-stopping evocation of ballet dancers on stage – was, it turns out, "being enjoyed privately, away from the glare of the market", as O'Reilly puts it. At some point the work crossed the Atlantic and was in the collections of some of the most renowned families in the US. To find out how he tracked the work through the archives, turn to page 34.

This issue touches on collections of all sorts. One of the most celebrated museums of the world, The Hermitage, was created initially through combining a number of European collections – such as Sir Robert Walpole's superlative set of paintings. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the museum, the film-maker Margy Kinmonth, was given unprecedented access to go behind the scenes – and into the astonishing kingdom of the Hermitage itself, which has its own church and post office. On page 38, Kinmonth describes making the film and what was in the many hidden storerooms she discovered.

Another superb collection – this time Sir William Burrell's splendid collection from Glasgow – is actually coming to Bonhams New Bond Street. The Scottish Parliament had to pass legislation to allow some 40 items, including Rembrandt's Self Portrait, to travel south on what will be the first stop of an international tour. The exhibition will be open to all – admission free – and will give London a wonderful opportunity to see works that last left Glasgow in 1975.

Finally, it seems hard to imagine a monumental Henry Moore 'being enjoyed privately'. But in a way it was. Reclining Figure on Pedestal that is being offered in the Modern British Sale in November was, at one point, sited in a roof-top garden belonging to its owners, Longmans the printers. For the past month, it has been sitting resplendently at Bonhams New Bond – and judging by the number of visitors who have come in to see it, there's a hunger to see works that have re-emerged into the light. And it does, by the way, look every bit as powerful as it would have outside. It's a magnificent work.

Enjoy the issue.

Lucinda Bredin is Editor of Bonhams Magazine

Editor's Letter:

There are many joyful moments in the auction business. When a client is thrilled with a result takes some beating – as does the point during an auction itself when the price of a lot takes wing. But most of the specialists will say that discovering – or rediscovering – a lost masterpiece provides one of the greatest sense of achievements of all.

This is what William O'Reilly, Director of Impressionist Art in New York, experienced when he 'found' a painting by Degas that had slipped off the published record. The jewel-like Danseuses et Contrebasse – a heart-stopping evocation of ballet dancers on stage – was, it turns out, "being enjoyed privately, away from the glare of the market", as O'Reilly puts it. At some point the work crossed the Atlantic and was in the collections of some of the most renowned families in the US. To find out how he tracked the work through the archives, turn to page 34.

This issue touches on collections of all sorts. One of the most celebrated museums of the world, The Hermitage, was created initially through combining a number of European collections – such as Sir Robert Walpole's superlative set of paintings. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the museum, the film-maker Margy Kinmonth, was given unprecedented access to go behind the scenes – and into the astonishing kingdom of the Hermitage itself, which has its own church and post office. On page 38, Kinmonth describes making the film and what was in the many hidden storerooms she discovered.

Another superb collection – this time Sir William Burrell's splendid collection from Glasgow – is actually coming to Bonhams New Bond Street. The Scottish Parliament had to pass legislation to allow some 40 items, including Rembrandt's Self Portrait, to travel south on what will be the first stop of an international tour. The exhibition will be open to all – admission free – and will give London a wonderful opportunity to see works that last left Glasgow in 1975.

Finally, it seems hard to imagine a monumental Henry Moore 'being enjoyed privately'. But in a way it was. Reclining Figure on Pedestal that is being offered in the Modern British Sale in November was, at one point, sited in a roof-top garden belonging to its owners, Longmans the printers. For the past month, it has been sitting resplendently at Bonhams New Bond – and judging by the number of visitors who have come in to see it, there's a hunger to see works that have re-emerged into the light. And it does, by the way, look every bit as powerful as it would have outside. It's a magnificent work.

Enjoy the issue.

Lucinda Bredin is Editor of Bonhams Magazine

Editor's Letter:

There are many joyful moments in the auction business. When a client is thrilled with a result takes some beating – as does the point during an auction itself when the price of a lot takes wing. But most of the specialists will say that discovering – or rediscovering – a lost masterpiece provides one of the greatest sense of achievements of all.

This is what William O'Reilly, Director of Impressionist Art in New York, experienced when he 'found' a painting by Degas that had slipped off the published record. The jewel-like Danseuses et Contrebasse – a heart-stopping evocation of ballet dancers on stage – was, it turns out, "being enjoyed privately, away from the glare of the market", as O'Reilly puts it. At some point the work crossed the Atlantic and was in the collections of some of the most renowned families in the US. To find out how he tracked the work through the archives, turn to page 34.

This issue touches on collections of all sorts. One of the most celebrated museums of the world, The Hermitage, was created initially through combining a number of European collections – such as Sir Robert Walpole's superlative set of paintings. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the museum, the film-maker Margy Kinmonth, was given unprecedented access to go behind the scenes – and into the astonishing kingdom of the Hermitage itself, which has its own church and post office. On page 38, Kinmonth describes making the film and what was in the many hidden storerooms she discovered.

Another superb collection – this time Sir William Burrell's splendid collection from Glasgow – is actually coming to Bonhams New Bond Street. The Scottish Parliament had to pass legislation to allow some 40 items, including Rembrandt's Self Portrait, to travel south on what will be the first stop of an international tour. The exhibition will be open to all – admission free – and will give London a wonderful opportunity to see works that last left Glasgow in 1975.

Finally, it seems hard to imagine a monumental Henry Moore 'being enjoyed privately'. But in a way it was. Reclining Figure on Pedestal that is being offered in the Modern British Sale in November was, at one point, sited in a roof-top garden belonging to its owners, Longmans the printers. For the past month, it has been sitting resplendently at Bonhams New Bond – and judging by the number of visitors who have come in to see it, there's a hunger to see works that have re-emerged into the light. And it does, by the way, look every bit as powerful as it would have outside. It's a magnificent work.

Enjoy the issue.

Lucinda Bredin is Editor of Bonhams Magazine

Editor's Letter:

There are many joyful moments in the auction business. When a client is thrilled with a result takes some beating – as does the point during an auction itself when the price of a lot takes wing. But most of the specialists will say that discovering – or rediscovering – a lost masterpiece provides one of the greatest sense of achievements of all.

This is what William O'Reilly, Director of Impressionist Art in New York, experienced when he 'found' a painting by Degas that had slipped off the published record. The jewel-like Danseuses et Contrebasse – a heart-stopping evocation of ballet dancers on stage – was, it turns out, "being enjoyed privately, away from the glare of the market", as O'Reilly puts it. At some point the work crossed the Atlantic and was in the collections of some of the most renowned families in the US. To find out how he tracked the work through the archives, turn to page 34.

This issue touches on collections of all sorts. One of the most celebrated museums of the world, The Hermitage, was created initially through combining a number of European collections – such as Sir Robert Walpole's superlative set of paintings. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the museum, the film-maker Margy Kinmonth, was given unprecedented access to go behind the scenes – and into the astonishing kingdom of the Hermitage itself, which has its own church and post office. On page 38, Kinmonth describes making the film and what was in the many hidden storerooms she discovered.

Another superb collection – this time Sir William Burrell's splendid collection from Glasgow – is actually coming to Bonhams New Bond Street. The Scottish Parliament had to pass legislation to allow some 40 items, including Rembrandt's Self Portrait, to travel south on what will be the first stop of an international tour. The exhibition will be open to all – admission free – and will give London a wonderful opportunity to see works that last left Glasgow in 1975.

Finally, it seems hard to imagine a monumental Henry Moore 'being enjoyed privately'. But in a way it was. Reclining Figure on Pedestal that is being offered in the Modern British Sale in November was, at one point, sited in a roof-top garden belonging to its owners, Longmans the printers. For the past month, it has been sitting resplendently at Bonhams New Bond – and judging by the number of visitors who have come in to see it, there's a hunger to see works that have re-emerged into the light. And it does, by the way, look every bit as powerful as it would have outside. It's a magnificent work.

Enjoy the issue.

Lucinda Bredin is Editor of Bonhams Magazine