John Stephen Skelton MBE FRBS — Pair of Original Studio Clay Maquettes
Price: £POA
A complementary pair of original studio clay maquettes by John Stephen Skelton MBE FRBS (1923–1999), the distinguished British sculptor, letter cutter and stone carver: St John the Evangelist and Torse Rambert.
Acquired following the documented 2026 dispersal of the artist’s studio and family collection, these are authentic working models rather than finished exhibition sculptures — objects made during the development of Skelton’s ideas and retaining the direct physical evidence of his working process.
Born into the influential Ditchling Arts & Crafts community, Skelton was the nephew of Eric Gill and briefly apprenticed to him before continuing his training under the distinguished letter cutter Joseph Cribb. During a career spanning more than five decades, he undertook important commissions for St Paul’s Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral, among many other ecclesiastical and civic projects. He was awarded an MBE and elected a Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.
Presented together, the maquettes reveal two contrasting aspects of his practice. St John the Evangelist has the restrained, architectural quality associated with Skelton’s ecclesiastical work, while Torse Rambert explores the human figure through simplified mass and more abstract, expressive modelling.
Both retain the marks, irregularities and construction details expected of working studio objects. In St John the Evangelist, the visible bamboo armature provides a particularly tangible insight into the sculptor’s method.
Provenance: Studio and family collection of John Stephen Skelton; Catherine Southon Auctioneers studio dispersal, March 2026
Medium: Original clay maquettes on original bases
Date: Undated, created during the artist’s lifetime
Dimensions: Approximately 30 cm high each
Condition: Original studio condition, with surface marks, drying, handling wear and construction details consistent with working maquettes
Offered: As a pair
