How everything has changed , I was at an auction house today , the younger generation hardly know how to communicate in person , as most of their time is spent glued to a computer or mobile phone . They appear to have no manners whatsoever !
It wasnt just the artworld where this "ludicrous enough situation" existed in England in the early 60's. Imagine the greater scorn there would have been for Sewell if he didnt sound as he did, like he was a member of the Royal family.
Christie's ended up with egg on their faces here, one valuer undermining the other, I'm not surprised the Duke was in a rage, he must have thought what a bunch of clowns!
At about the 0:50 mark he mentions that the Duke knew perfectly well that the originals were sold by Duveen in 1902. The Duke was annoyed to have been caught out.
Was it a class thing tho? Sewell was educated at Haberdashers School and speaks in a very upper class manner. It sounds more like an antiquated professional hierachy in a stuffy old firm. I’ve worked in places where the chief exec didn’t call you on the phone if he wanted to speak with you in his office (i.e across the hallway). He’d phone his PA, and she would then phone you and say “Mr XYZ would like to see you in his office now please.” All pretty pompous and unnecessary.
