Page 126 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 London

Charles Brooking Compton (1876-1935)

Fine Chinese Works of Art from
the Charles Brooking Compton and
family Collection
Lots 95 - 104
Charles Brooking Compton中國工藝精品
收藏系列
拍品編號95-104
Charles Brooking Compton was born 1st October
1876 in London.
In 1898 he began working for the London jewellery
and goldsmiths Messrs. Mappin & Webb, and
soon afterwards was appointed as manager of the
firm’s French branches in Biarritz, Nice and Paris,
where he worked for some until the end of 1915,
becoming a keen art collector during this period.
In November 1913, whilst working in Paris, he met
Mr. Raphael Marzo, a French jeweller established in
Paris, Biarritz and Madrid, with whom he developed
an excellent relationship. Marzo’s Paris shop was
located at 22, Rue de La Paix, just opposite Mr.
Brooking’s office, at 1, Rue de La Paix. In 1916 Mr.
Brooking received a proposal to manage Marzo’s
Madrid branch, and partly due to the difficult years
of the World War One, he accepted and moved
with his family to assume his new position in Spain.
Soon afterwards he began to consider the idea of
creating his own business and on 31 March 1926
Queen Victoria Eugenia attended the opening of his
new premises in Madrid and he became a supplier
to the Royal Family. His passion for Chinese works
of art continued onto the next generation, which
acquired some of the objects included in the
collection offered at this time.

124 | Bonhams