The collection of John Russell Taylor

On 11 February 2026 the sale was held at Olympia Auctions in London of the art collection of the renowned critic and author John Russell Taylor (1935-2025), comprising paintings, watercolours, drawings, and prints, together with a selection of ceramics and books. Negotiated by Joseph Friedman Ltd on behalf of John and his partner, the artist Ying Yeung Li, this was a ‘white glove’ sale, meaning not one of the 324 lots was left unsold, with the sale as a whole achieving three times the pre-sale estimate. A separate online sale of a further 80 lots from John’s collection was also entirely sold out. 

In accordance with John’s instructions, Joseph Friedman Ltd has also been tasked with selling his remarkable library of over 20,000 books and other publications, the majority relating to the fine and decorative arts, which are offered online at www.theprivatelibrary.co.uk.

C. R. W. Nevinson: A Printmaker in War and Peace (2014), to be offered in the inaugural sale of books from the library of John Russell Taylor.