Described by the BBC as “a serial fringe candidate,” Broxtowe, Nottingham born ‘Lord Biro’ attended the late paedophile Jimmy Savile’s funeral dressed as Elvis. He threw a 99p bunch of flowers into his grave as “a mark of respect.”
A divorced painter and decorator, wacky David Bishop adopted his first moniker (‘Lord Byro’) in honour of Lord Byron and later replaced the ‘y’ with an ‘I’ to stand against everyone from Eric Pickles to Neil Hamilton and Robert Kilroy-Silk.
An artist and poet also, Bishop primarily campaigns as the ‘Church of the Militant Elvis Party’ and has a website named GrumpyOldElvis.co.uk. His wacky policies have included:
– Imprisoning Cherie Blair to prevent her talking about her sex life.
– Placing CCTV in the bedroom of Nick Clegg.
– Bono for Pope.
– Going to Antarctica to shout at icebergs to “stop melting.”
– Turning public schools into pound shops.
– Introducing moats around houses.
– Legalising and nationalising cannabis and calling it British Grass.
Tower house on Isle of Man that was home to the Romantic artist John Martin for sale for £3.95 million
Described as “the most sublime and extraordinary pictures in the world” by critic Simon Wilson and “the most popular painter of his day” by fellow artist Sir Thomas Lawrence, English Romantic painter John Martin (1789 – 1854) is renowned to this day for fantastic compositions and such works as The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Destruction of Tyre and The Plains of Heaven. He was born in Haydon Bridge, Northumberland and died in the Isle of Man and now a castellated tower house there, where he lived from 1851 to 1853, is for sale for £3.95 million ($5.32 million, €4.50 million or درهم19.56 million).
A portrait of John Martin and his own painting “The Plains of Heaven”The view out to sea from the castellated roof terrace of Harold Tower
Of the Gothic style and dating to circa 1833, Harold Tower in Douglas was allegedly named after either Harold Harefoot (Harold I, King of England from 1035 to 1040) or Harold Godwinson (Harold II, King of England in 1066). It was constructed in a hexagonal shape, was described as a “lately erected villa” in 1856 and used as a hotel during the Second World War.
Set within 3 acres of formal gardens, Harold Tower was renovated between 2009 and 2012. It is laid out over 5 levels and includes 3 reception rooms, a cinema, a wine cellar, 3 bedrooms suites with truly lavish bathrooms and an octagonal office with a roof terrace with sea views above. In addition, a 3 bedroom guest house and a 2 bedroom guest cottage are located within the grounds along with an outdoor swimming pool.
Two works by paedophile Rolf Harris withdrawn from auction whilst one of a baby remains for sale online
In the wake of his conviction in 2014 for abusing women and girls as young as 8 years old, many of the frankly crap paintings by the repugnant monster Rolf Harris were burnt by those who’d bought them.
On Saturday, however, the Sunderland Echo revealed that an auction house in East Boldon, Tyne & Wear had listed two works by the evil jailbird and were due to sell them today with estimates of just £20 to £40 and £50 to £80.
In response to questions on what made the convicted paedophile Harris’ works worthwhile to auction and who the likely buyer would be from The Steeple Times, Boldon Auctions did not answer. A spokesman for the firm simply remarked: “No, sorry, withdrawn and collected by client” and refused to comment further.
Elsewhere, on the Preloved.co.uk website, an especially inappropriate signed work by Harris is being marketed. Titled ‘Innocence’, the signed print is one of 695 and shows an image of a baby. Why on earth anyone would want such on their wall is beyond comprehension.
A 20-question interview with Liverpool born artist Pauline Amos; one of her works is for sale for £1.3 million
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Myself.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“If you hesitate, you’ve lost.”
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2017?
Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
My dad.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
Ending cruelty to animals and children.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?
A disgrace.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
Trump.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Being charitable is being a good human being. I support Coram children’s charity, Stop Ivory, the RNLI and charities that support war veterans.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Use if necessary.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Shakespeare, Winston Churchill, Stephen Fry, Oscar Wilde, my husband, my dogs, Hunter S. Thompson and Maya Angelou.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
Caviar. On the outside.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Blackwell Rum on porridge for breakfast. Every hour is acceptable.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A martini.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
My own: I choose the guests and the music.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Myself.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Charbonnel & Walker salt caramel chocolates.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
An angel.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
A Bentley Land Rover hybrid.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
One of my paintings is on sale for £1.3 million.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Two silver candlesticks, some invitations and a sign that reads: “Scouse and Proud.”
Born in Liverpool, Pauline Amos is a creative performance painting artist with a unique style of work combining painting, performance and music. Amos has a PhD from Dartington College of Arts and has drawn international acclaim for her provocative, powerful and bold works.
Follow Pauline Amos on Twitter at @paulineamos99 and like her page on Facebook by clicking here.
Kitsch San Francisco mansion turned private museum that houses everything from Hitler memorabilia to a portrait turned down by Prince Philip for sale for £9.5 million
The collection of a former advertising executive turned San Francisco based bon viveur named Robert C. Pritikin – better known as ‘Bob’ to his friends – includes everything from Hitler’s Swastika armband and his personal world globe (supposedly acquired by American soldiers at the end of the Second World War) to a portrait of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh of which the royal once proclaimed: “I bloody well wouldn’t hang it on the walls of Buckingham Palace.”
Pritikin houses these items – and others including a replica electric chair, a mural featuring the cult leader Jim Jones, an exact replica of Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ and an original J. M. W. Turner painting – in a totally eccentric neo-classical mansion in the Glen Park area of the city. He built the property in 1987 and though it provides 9,966 square foot of accommodation it is primarily designed as an entertaining space and museum rather than a conventional family home.
Bob Pritikin with the portrait Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh so loathedThe mansion-cum-museum Pritikin built in 1987 for his collection is now for saleArtworks in the building include a mock electric chairThere also many murals inside and outside of Chenery House
Now offered for sale for £9.5 million ($12.5 million, €10.4 million or درهم45.9 million) by the equally flamboyant realtor Joel Goodrich, Chenery House – or plain old 47 Chenery Street – has hosted guests including Liberace and Mickey Rooney. The building is dominated by a top floor swimming pool with glass retractable roof, a vast ‘showroom’ with adjoining display rooms but also comes with 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. There is a 4-car carport, a garden cottage and a three unit building with two 2 bedroom units and one 1 bedroom unit.
Hidden from the street at its entrance and adjoining the Fairmount Elementary School on another, Chenery House stands on a 1 acre plot crammed to the brim with art pieces, murals and statues. It was offered by Pritikin to the City of San Francisco as an official mayoral residence in 2004 but after they declined he has since rented it for weddings and events.
In 2014, of living there, Pritikin remarked: “It’s a fun place to live. I would build the exact same house if I had to do it again, and in the unlikely event that I kick the bucket I intend to have my ashes buried here.” Though that will now unlikely happen, this true eccentric’s spirit will no doubt live on in spite of whoever eventually purchases what has to be one of America’s most whacky compounds.
David Cameron snapped ‘Hugging a Corbyn’ after he’s revealed to have a ‘Calm Down – It’s Only a Recession’ in his kitchen and a £25,000 shepherd’s hut in his garden
David Cameron is plainly enjoying life to the full. Not only has he been rewarded with a huge literary advance after walking away after calling the disastrous and divisive Brexit referendum, but now he’s got time to sit in a shepherd’s hut in his garden and attend posh music festivals.
Not for ‘Call Me Dave’ will it be necessary to put in a presence in a wheat field in Norfolk to support Theresa May and her garden gnome-like hubby at the forthcoming ‘Conservative Ideas Festival’, but instead him and ‘Sam Cam’ are now able to find time to attend parties at Christie’s and holiday in Miami, Florida.
Cameron – who was widely criticised for having a sign in his kitchen that reads: “Calm Down Dear, It’s Only a Recession” – spent time this weekend at the Wilderness Festival at Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. He was spotted drinking, smoking and even got snapped with his arm casually wrapped around an art consultant named Lucy Edwards. For him it seems, it’s no longer “Hug a Hoodie” but now instead “Hug a Corbyn.” In the picture, Ms. Edwards sported a ‘glitter coat’ emblazoned with a heart complete with the Labour leader’s name.
David Cameron pictured in his Oxfordshire kitchen; the ‘Calm Down – It’s Only a Recession’ sign is circled to his right
In purchasing the sign, Cameron, shown here with his £25,000 shepherd’s hut, was plainly inspired by the late, great Michael Winner
A pioneer of both the Art Deco style and the functionalist Modernist movement, bisexual Irish aristocrat Eileen Gray was best known for designing the Bibendum chair and the E.1027 table. This great tastemaker lived primarily in South Kensington, Paris and the South of France and another of her creations, once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, the ‘Fauteuil aux Dragons’ armchair, sold for £19 million at auction in 2009.
Extremely private, Gray once remarked: “The art of the engineer is not enough… A house is not a machine to live in. It is the shell of man, his extension, his release, his spiritual emanation. Not only its visual harmony but its organisation as a whole, the whole work combined together, make it human in the most profound sense.”
A stunning example of Eileen Gray’s work, an S-bend chair, is on display in Room 135, The Dr. Susan Weber Gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Eileen Gray also designed the ‘E.1027’ house at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, overlooking the Bay of Monaco in Franc as a gift for her lover, Jean Badovici, the editor of ‘L’Architecture Vivante’. ‘E’ is for Eileen, ‘10’ for the tenth letter of the alphabet, ‘J’ for Jean, ‘2’ for ‘B’ for Badovici and ‘7’ for ‘G’ for Gray. The building was completed in 1929.
The E-1027 table was designed for the eponymous house in 1927.
Harrow and Cambridge educated Old Masters expert Bendor Grosvenor describes himself as an “occasional ranter” to his 12,000 followers on Twitter. Aside from being amongst the team on the popular BBC One art programme Fake or Fortune?, Grosvenor has co-written a book titled Crap MPs: The 40 Worst Members of Parliament in History and another called Warts and All: The Portrait Miniatures of Samuel Cooper. He edits the extremely informative Arts History News blog, is of British-Swiss heritage and is fourth in line to the Marquessate of Westminster.
‘SHIT’ to be sold at Christie’s in South Kensington; it comes at quite a price
A painting which simply depicts the word ‘SHIT’ is to be sold at Christie’s in South Kensington, London this month.
Offered with an estimate of £2,000 to £4,000 ($2,590 to $5,180, €2,260 to €4,520 or درهم9,470 to درهم18,940) in spite of having been painted with household gloss, the work by Kent born, New York based artist and filmmaker Sarah Morris (born 1967) is 153 centimetres by 244 centimetres and simply reads: ‘SHIT’ in capital letters.
Other works by Morris are displayed at Gloucester Road tube station, the V&A and the Tate Modern in London, the Hamburger Bahnholf in Berlin, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.
Christie’s will auction the work, which is dated 1996 on the reverse, on 19th July. It was acquired by the current owner from Jay Jopling in London.
Sarah Morris with another of her works; she is described as having a style that uses bright color fields and graphic line work, often referencing elements of architecture and taking titles from bureaucratic institutions.
Former Liberal Democrats headquarters for sale for somewhat reduced but still anything but liberal sum of £36 million (to include a Rodin)
A building that was originally the London office of the North Eastern Railway Company and the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party and then their successors, the Liberal Democrats, between 1982 and 2011 has gone on sale for £36 million ($46.9 million, €41 million or درهم172.1 million) – with all furnishings and a bronze sculpture by Rodin said to be amongst the luxury items included in the price.
Then Liberal Democratic Party leader Nick Clegg outside 4 Cowley Street in 2010
A protest outside 4 Cowley Street during the Liberal Democrats’ tenure of occupation
Offered to rent in 2011 for £225,000 per annum ($291,000, €256,000 or درهم1.1 million per annum) and then sold for around £10.8 million ($14 million, €12.3 million or درهم51.4 million), Mansion House – as it has now been rather grandly named – is situated in Cowley Street, Westminster. Constructed in 1905 and Grade II listed, this dark red brick terraced town house was designed by Horace Field and is described as being of “lavish late 17th century style, rather out of scale with its neighbours but with fine Arts and Crafts detailing.”
Consisting of 7,000 square foot of accommodation whilst in use as offices, developers Saigol DDC have expanded the space provided to create an 11,075 square foot residence of mammoth proportions. Aside from 5 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, the 5-storey mansion has an 8-person lift, a wine room, an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a roof terrace.
Mansion House, which is for sale through Knight Frank, was previously listed earlier this year for the higher price of £42.28 million ($54.77 million, €48.22 million or درهم201.21 million). The effects of Stamp Duty hikes, Brexit uncertainties plainly might cause it to fall yet further.
A stunning example of Eileen Gray’s work, an 
Eileen Gray also designed the 
The E-1027 table was designed for the eponymous house in 1927.
