Monty Bloom and L.S. Lowry

I remember, just after the end of the 2^nd World War sitting in a cinema in Torquay watching the latest blockbuster movie (I think that the main actors were Errol Flynn and Judy Garland)

However as an entree the cinema put on a short film introducing an unusual artist from the north of England. His name was L.S. Lowry. His paintings depicted the industrial and poverty stricken north, grim factories, and crowds of working class people alongside cats and dogs. All the figures had a matchstick appearance.

Being a budding art dearer and a traditionalist at that time, I could hardly imagine anyone that would buy this sort of art and hang it in their homes. But I was mistaken. After he had become famous, there even was a song about him called the 'Matchstick Man' and he became a big success with his paintings now fetching astronomically high prices.

L.S. Lowry was a self taught working class northerner and a bachelor. The impression I had was that he had discovered a new form of art that is quite original and charming. Personally. I thought his work was interesting I could see that wealthy people would be attracted to own one of them. It would remind them where their money originally came from!

However, I was just starting my career as an antiques dealer, I was mainly interested in English & French antiques.

Of course, Lowry is now highly desired and any of his paintings would start at £30,000. The scene he painted of Piccadilly Circus fetched close to one million pounds - and some others even more!

It appears that in this world, if one has an original idea of art, music, film or indeed any of our everyday occupations, it could reap great financial rewards.

In my antiques shop on Richmond hill (1n 1965) I was building up a very successful business. America had just realised that our country was awash with low priced quality paintings, and had sent over to Britain their dealers to purchase any good signed paintings of well known artists.

I had a good customer named Monty Bloom with an excellent knowledge of art. I often used to buy some of his paintings. He was an intellectual and polished gentleman and I liked him immensely. He and I formed a strong friendship as we had so many interests in common.

After several months had elapsed, he invited me to his home to meet his wife (I think it was Betty). They lived in a lovely house in an up-market area of Bournemouth. Monty had retired from running a large business and now his sole interest was good art - of which he was now an expert.

As I was always interested to purchase any good paintings, I asked him what was his special choice of artist. He told me that L.S.Lowry was in his estimation one of the greatest modern artist that England had ever produced.

He also told me that he had seen the small film about Lowry that I had seen 20 years ago and soon after watching the film, he travelled north to seek out to seek him out. The small house where the artist lived was not much more than any working class man would possess. After knocking on the door, Lowry appeared and Monty was invited in for a cup of tea. Monty told me they immediately got along very well.

Monty asked if he could see some of his paintings and took him into his studio. The studio was crammed full and Monty eventually chose around a hundred paintings. When Lowry asked for the small sum averaging £30 each, Monty protested that the price was too little, but Lowry told him that money was not important to him.

They eventually formed a strong friendship, that lasted over 10 years and Monty became his patron. He finished up with 350 of his best paintings all purchased all at reasonable prices. When Lowry had died 10 years later - he at that time had no relatives alive. He left all his money and possessions to a young lady that had written to him because she had the same name.

Monty told me that he loved every one of his pictures and told me that they were like his children. After giving me a private inspection of his enormous collection I tried to buy one of them for my wife, but he could not be tempted to sell any of them.

Unfortunately for Monty, his wife suddenly passed away and he was bereft and lonely. I kept in touch with him and he came many times to our apartment. We enjoyed his friendship.

Fortunately for him, he met a charming lady friend named Isa, (she was a distant relative,) who adored looked after him in a wonderful way. She made Monty a happy and contented man again.

When the recession came, Monty decided that he would have an exhibition in London and sell some of the Lowry paintings he had so jealously collected. Carole and I attended to the show and of course the prices received were a great deal more than the price he had paid for them. I bought one for my wife Carol called Five Figures in Grey for £1,500. It was the cheapest one sold there.

The exhibition was a success and within two hours all the paintings were sold. But it was a bitter-sweet moment looking at the agony on Monty’s face at losing so many of his precious 'children'.

I consoled Monty as well as I could as I knew that he had kept back the best of his collection which only rose in value to become very valuable indeed. So in the end, he was quite content with the result. He told me he had given all his Lowrys' to his son in London as he was concerned about inheritance tax (which in his case must have then been enormous).

Unfortunately Monte suffered a massive heart attack a couple of years ago and he died.

I often think about him and the good times we had. He was a great friend and I miss him quite a lot. Now especially, when I think of Lowry, my thoughts return to Monty Bloom.

Reference links:
The Lowry