Tom is a hotelier in Northampton who owns this beautifully framed painting, he has shared his story on how he bought it -

 

"I was opening a small hotel back around 1990 in an old Victorian house in Northampton which I still own, although it is no longer open for short term guests I do have tenants here.

I was looking at the time for some items of interest as I had lots of wall space and this unframed painting caught my eye in a shop in Northampton called would you believe "Grandad's attic!" I bought it with some other items a water color and some odd ornaments. I decided to hang it in my own part of the house where it still is.

I have enjoyed it over the years and I find it quite haunting, if I may say so, with the mine at the front with the gaping mouth, silent of its stories of times gone by, the detail in the foreground of the landscape and the building behind giving good perspective.

I literally just came across your site as I had google'd Robert Ixer." Interested?

Well we found this rare gem of a painting which belongs to Bob from New Zealand. Here's an interesting account of Bob's interaction with Robert Ixer and how the painting came to life - 

"I commissioned Robert to do this painting in 1995 from a photograph I had taken for historic reasons. Because the scene faces South East I took the photo 5-30am on a mid summers morning, (on my way surfing) to get the only time these buildings saw the sunlight and get light right. The wharf I took the photo from has now been heavily commercially built on and some the harbour filled in and the Custom House building demolished.

I live in Hamilton and at the time your folks lived up the Otaki Gorge  Rd. Interesting side story was that I contacted Robert and he suggested I call in and see progress. So I traveled all the way down there only to be told he did not like what he had painted and had scrapped all the paint off and felt he could not do the painting. After a lot encouragement from his wife, Robert undertook to give it another go but insisted he wanted to add a ship that was not in my photo. I felt I had to give some artistic licence, as I know from personal experience, doing art for someone on a subject you have no feel for is very difficult. ( I remember seeing lots of dogs and other animals but not you!)
My only stipulation it had to be a ship that would have frequenting Wellington Harbour about the time Custom House was built 1890.
 On the back of the painting in Roberts hand writing is the name of the ship he chose,"The Immigrant Ship - 'The St Leanard'
The result I feel is a fine historical scene capturing the early morning light, the historic building, and the tranquility of the harbour."

We got Julie writing to us from the UK she has inherited a beautiful horse on velvet painting she says -

"The painting belonged to my late Grand Father Eric Bellamy who lived in Grantham. My grandad was born in  26th March 1921 at Sproxton, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire as a child I always remember the painting being above the fire place at their home at Cornwall Close in Grantham. 

My grandad loved horse racing and horses. As a child Grand National day was always a day of great excitement as I would get a phone call from my grandad to choose which horse I wanted for the national and he would put a bet on for me. We had some winners West Tip and Bob Champions Old Aldaniti being some of the horses that had won.  The painting was given as a present to my grandad by my nan Betty Bellamy who still lives in Grantham today. Unfortunately my Nan suffered a Stroke in August 2012 and when her flat was cleaned out the painting was given to me. I love the painting as I have a love of horses, but more importantly it reminds me of my nan and grandad and the happy times we shared at their home as a child. As my nan will be 90 in August this year and is currently in a nursing home, my mum is going to try and find out where she got the painting from."

Hi again everybody, Peter filled in from Kent with this velvet painting by Robert done in - 

"I lived in St Mawgan just outside Newquay in 1979. Moved back to London but visited with my wife and at that time one son (soon became two). Life was tough then - but years of hard labour! corrected that.  In 1981 I saw an Ixer on Velvet of Newquay Island, and just had to buy it. It was on sale in the Newquay Gallery if I remember correctly, at a cost of £45. The suspension bridge had always fascinated me and this picture seemed to capture it very well. Oil on velvet was a new concept to me: but I loved it. I discussed the picture with my wife and we went back the next day and spent the £45 on purchasing it. This was a lot of money for us at the time! But I have never resented a penny of it. I still look and admire the picture. My wife loved it too - although I lost her in 1998. Having read that Ixer prices had risen since I bought this I thought I'd better insure it. In addition I'd like to know how many Robert did of the island, and did he do any other local landscapes that could be considered as a companion picture?"

Well, Pete, sorry to hear about your wife, Rob has rarely done Newquay Island I think but sure has  few many landscapes..

One of Roberts rarer artworks that contain no buildings please enjoy the short right up from Mr G.W ,,,,,,,it having been up on the wall in our house all the way through my childhood. My parents, sibling and I used to holiday in Cornwall every year alternating between Newquay and St. Ives and this went on throughout the '70s and well into the '80s until the attractions of foreign holidays took over. They don't accurately recall the year that they purchased it other than that it was in the early to mid '70s and they think that they purchased it in St. Ives (although as the decades have passed, so has the memory detail and it may well have been Newquay). I have faint memories of driving back to Cheshire, a full days drive at that time, with the picture covered and wedged between my brother and I who were in our early teens. Playing 'i-spy', a popular travelling game in those days, the letter 'P' for painting came up so many times that it became a long standing family joke. Once home it went straight up onto the wall in the lounge where it was enjoyed for many years; about 40, occasionally being moved into different rooms but always in a place of prominence.

This art works is one of Roberts very rare few where he paints two buildings The owner has written the following Thanks. I have very fond memories of this painting, I have moved home 5 times since owning this piece of art, and it has remained with me and in amazing conditions every single time. It has become an invaluable member of the family to some extent. I remember first seeing this painting when I was young and falling in love. Whenever any of my friends would gaze at it and ask, ''who drew that?'' I went through a phase of saying; ‘’me’’! Haha. My family owns a lot of art, but this is the one painting which has always had me mesmerised, it inspires within me creativity and appreciation of art more generally. A truly invaluable piece by the great Ixer!

Another one of Roberts Velvet pictures This one is owned by Susie can you guess where it is.

Thank you for your reply to my enquiry. Please feel free to add our picture to your blog. My wife and I went on holiday to Hunstanton, Norfolk in the summer of 1977 with our young family. We saw this picture in a small shop there and fell in love with it, after passing the shop several times and looking at this painting, we decided to buy it. It has been on display in our lounge ever since and it is a constant reminder of one of our more enjoyable holidays. We have no idea as to the location and would be pleased to hear from anyone who can solve this mystery. It is not for sale but we would also appreciate any guidance on it's value.

This is one of Roberts very early paintings. and we know the owner. When artists first start becoming successful they often try their hand at many different styles before finding their niche. This artwork was purchased at 41,000Pound sterling. by a well known designer. Please write what you think about this artwork and send to my email and I will post.

Through the forest, it reminds me as when I was a child when we use to walk through the forests for hours hoping we did not get murdered. This artwork has an owner but probably in Lincolnshire its one of Robert more unusual pieces yet remains one of my favourites due to the colours and the illumination of the children happily walking through with such peace

Robert painted many of these velvet paintings in the 60s 70s and 80s and had sold them as his main source of income for himself and his family now they have just started to surface with some collectors having more than 5 artworks,. The velvets don't value up to the same amount as his olis do but yet they are a fine example of Roberts talent and willingness to succeed as an artist. Susie the proud owner of this wonderful piece wrote this,,, My parents have this lovely picture acrylic on velvet - the picture is of Whitby Abbey and they bought it in Whitby in the 1970's. It's their diamond wedding anniversary soon and we wanted to reframe it and I googled "Ixer" and found your site - would love to know more about the painting and indeed if it is authentic though it's not for sale. I think I can make out bobs buckets but I'm not sure. Now I've found this site I may not reframe it. Thank you.

In the 70s and 80s Robert did quite a few oval paintings this one I found at and auction.

This collector has 3 stunning works by Robert showing so well the British lifestyle and it's amazing countryside . The colour of the artwork are more subtle and show how Robert went thru various stages with colours and tones changing like the seasons. A beautifull collection indeed.

We are very excited to show this piece kindly sent to us by S.F from England. it is truly a gem and this type of scene is one of the rarest. (Article) My parents gave me the money to pay for the painting for a birthday present and I had already bought one of Ixer's velvet paintings of a dog from the public house on the A607, where Bob (Robert) used to display some of his work. The inn keeper gave me Robert's home telephone number in Asfordby, Leicestershire, and I made an appointment to go and see his work. I do remember meeting Lee, his son, fleetingly, he ran through the house playing and Robert asked him to behave and go out into the garden!! Out of the few oil paintings I saw, I immediately fell in love with this one as it reminded me so much of Cardigan Bay (Wales) where my grandmother lived.

Someone has been kind enough to let us put these Wonderful Ixer's on the blog they would like to stay incognito. They wrote thisWe bought two large Robert Ixer originals from a gallery in Cambridgeshire, UK where the artist was visiting in the early 1980’s. The first one ‘Crofton Downs’ illustrates the scene of a lady and child in Crofton Downs, New Zealand as we believe Robert was living near there at the time. We wanted to purchase another but all his works had been sold. Fortunately after speaking with Robert he agreed to paint ‘The Woodman’ for my husband before his return to NZ. The pictures have hung in our home since we purchased them and are much admired.

Robert has really shown us how amazing he was and still is with light colour and depth its almost as if you are there sitting in the artwork. The texture is balanced so well it almost unexplainable.

A very interesting artwork by Robert's son Lee Ixer who is entirely different contemporary He is very multi talented with art he changes his style like he changes his clothes. Lee works mostly on hotel projects.

We would like to thank Kerry Johnson for this message and the fantastic piece. Article .....I have had the small Robert ixer since the early 80's. A couple of years ago a good friend of mine inherited 4 large paintings. These were lying in the back of his van. When he showed me I recognized them as Robert ixer paintings .I pointed the trade mark buckets to him. He told me that he was going to take them to auction when he had time. I told him I had a spare wall to hang one on until he decided to go to auction.so he let me pick one. A week later he asked me how I liked the painting. I said it looked great. Then he said you can have it.i was blown away. So that's how I got to have the large painting of West Highland cattle Loch long Scotland . He never went to auction btw

From Stephen Talbot Collector of New Zealand. The story: A close friend of my mother's left two paintings to my mother at the time of her passing. My mother had been a long time friend and had been instrumental in assisting the friend through the grief of losing family members. They had a close relationship and so my mother really valued being left the paintings as a reminder of her friend. The paintings are beautiful and always admired. We often wondered about the artist, where the friend got them from and what the buckets were all about. This was often discussed but never acted upon. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we decided we should at least investigate and we found your website. We were really fortunate to come across your website and find out that you had a connection to the painter, while sharing the delight of the paintings as much as we did. We have really appreciated your assistance as we have come closer and closer, and almost to the end, of solving our little painting mystery. We look forward to hearing from Robert and continuing to communicate as we appreciate the wonderful creativity, skill and earthly representation contained in the pieces. With thanks for all your assistance and I hope to talk soon, Steve.

One of Robert's most unusual artworks of the Australian landscape, Its wonderful how some artists can adapt to different environments. This shows the depth of his talents.

I have acquired from a dear relative of Robert one on Roberts first paintings its a little bit tattled and is actually painted on silk. I will be showing the work shortly after photographing it.

Dear All Robert will be visiting shortly and would be available to read any of your emails you may wish to send to him, I will make sure everyone is replied too. He sends his best wishes and joy to all people who have met him or acquired his works over the the past years.

This beautiful creation is somewhere out there not sure who owns it Robert passed the photograph on to me but cannot remember the person who acquired it. Thank you Robert.

collector Mrs Kim Hollingworth. narrates her wonderful trophy find. We spotted the painting at a house clearance car boot sale, and after much haggling with the seller, agreed a price. We think that the seller knew what he was selling, but on reflection of your rough estimate, we did get a bargain. We had seen Roberts artwork before, but did not know anything about his works until recently, and have been amazed at the range of his artwork. We have always loved old cottages and the countryside, which was a huge influence in our purchase, as we lived in the peak district in the UK, and this painting reminds us of this area. He has a great eye for detail and for mixing a focal point within the countryside. We almost feel that we have been following him, as we used to visit family in Lincolnshire on a regular basis, and now live in New Zealand, both areas where Robert has lived!! The picture measures 390mm wide x 290mm high, and including the frame measures 520mm wide x 420mm high. We have attached 4 photos, so hopefully they are good enough for you.

What a wonderful find.

By Art collector Richard Nicholson Since retiring a couple of years ago I developed an interest in local Lincolnshire artists. Being a complete novice in the art world I started my research by visiting Art Galleries, reading Sotheby's Art at Auction catalogues and attending local Fine Art auctions. What this taught me was that art can provide everlasting joy irrespective of wealth as long as your purchase is ruled by your heart rather than your head since true passions never fade while fashion can be fickle. I am sure I experience the same joy each day looking at the two Robert Ixer paintings I recently acquired as would a multi-millionaire viewing their latest Turner or Constable. The Ixer paintings are hung in my lounge alongside lesser known local landscape paintings where they echo the uniqueness of the English countryside in a bye gone era. However, I am always drawn to Robert's images which invite you into the landscape"

                                                        Look at the water in this picture it almost moving.

Lady in Red owned by Madam Theresa Hudson. 00447798 640951,

Lady in Red a Wonderfull small piece owned by Madam Hudson originally purchased from ST Ives.
This artwork is a true original and quite rare as the subject is a lady rather than a cottage. The artwork has been authenticated and yes it is for sale please contact the below number for enquires direct with the owner  00447798 640951, Theresa Hudson.

This wonderful piece will be available soon for sale it is a set of two and I feel its one of his best works. the pricing will be released shortly.

This is one of Roberts sons artworks how extroidenarly different.

From Johnathan Watson.
I was very lucky to purchase an original Robert Ixer painting last week from an elderly Gentleman who lived in France the artwork was given to him as a gift from Robert. Robert and Didier enjoyed sailing around the western shores of France and I believe they still keep in touch.
The artwork is 40x60cm and has a Gilt Golden frame the image is a sea scape and has a beautiful French fishing vessel landed on the beach the colours are adorable it has so much depth.
I offered him 8,000Sterling and he almost through me out of the house, so funny but I ended up settling for  14,000 I am so very happy and would love to contact Robert about the story.
I had met Didier at a supermarchie and he invited me for a glass of wine and then he showed me his artworks and I came across this Wonderfull piece. I had heard of Robert but was not sure if it was an original after I blogged this site I was confident and made the offer.
I cannot wait to get back home and hang it on the wall I am going to have a wine party.
How Jolly and Joyful life can be when you stumble upon such magic.

Good news.

Robert has decided to do his last exhibition in England and has announced that he will consider doing this next year.  We will be releasing more information soon about the exhibition but this will probably take place in the summer. 
I cant wait.
We will be inviting some owners of his works to exhibit the individual pieces at the exhibition. So do please come forward if you think you may have an Original Robert Ixer,

Dear Collectors and viewers, Mrs Carol Thomas was kind enough to let me put her very rare boat sea landscape done on canvas on the blog, This artwork was one of Roberts very early works probably done in the very early 70S. Artwork like this one very rarely pops up and we would defiantly value it around 25,000Sterling Hang on to it.

NOT FOR SALE

One of Roberts most stunning landscapes owned by Mrs Steph Mcdonald you can feel the cool summer breeze pass thru this artwork. wonderfull.

Not for sale

Two artworks will be available soon for sale.

Dear All We have two artwork from Robert which will be available shortly they are sized roughly 60x80cm with frame. they were done about 20years ago and are both picturesque landscapes.
They will be offered from Dubai the UAE.and hand delivered to there new home when purchased.

Dear Mrs Winslet,

Thank you for you inquiry , unfortunately the painting is fake and the signature does not match with Roberts we have also checked this with him and he has regrettably informed that its a fake. sorry we do hope you will be able to get your hands on one soon, We will have a couple of smaller painting a pair coming up soon and the cost would be around 8,000Sterling for the pair, hence if this is in your investing budget let us know.
Thank you and Fine regards.

How wonderful. the english countryside is in summer Robert certainly helps us to remember that with this wonderful piece size is 90x110cm and is now for sale for 26,000Sterling.

For sale added on 30October 2015 SOLD TO A PRIVATE COLLECTOR WHO WISHES NOT TO BE NAMED WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL ARTWORK FOR YEARS TO COME

If you would like a list of Robert Ixer's paintings for sale then we would be happy to send the list to you although there are not to many.

One of my favorite works by Robert owner refusing to resale at 49,000sterling pounds. but thank Lady Thornton for the image and we hope it will stay with you for years to come.

The amazing reflection in the water its almost like you were walking in it. this artwork is not for sale.

I love the way the light finds its way thru the trees.

Valuations

If you would like your artwork valued then please contact this normally takes about 14days.

This Artwork was sold by a gallery in Australia

Another exciting Landscape This artwork has so much activity and can be enjoyed over and over again let you mind take you Back. Not for sale. Value 38,000$

Robert Ixer

Mrs. J Dench First saw Roberts work in the early 80s and purchased a rather large painting of the river Thames and the tower Bridge of London. She regretted selling it about 10 years ago as it didn't fit with her new Interiors,. She is desperately trying to get it back but the purchasers have moved to San Fransico. We will try and relocate it for her, and get it back where it belongs.
Don't worry Judi We will find the right contacts to get it back to your collection once again.

This artwork is from 1989 and was sold and still belongs to its original owner Above the fire place in there english country home. Shire horses.

Mount Hutt New Zealand Robert captures real light and depth This artwork is 120x160cm and is owned by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Not for sale

Not for sale

Some one got a bargain Please come forward.

This is his sons work. Not sure of his age although I think we know his contacts.

Thank you Mr Wellington.

Our dear friend Mr Wellington of essex has found a Robert Ixer set of two small artworks in a home in Bury St Edmunds England owned by an elderly lady who has no idea of the value. We have asked to purchase the works and are waiting for A reply the offer made was 8,500 pounds and her son is asking 10,000 the artwork is beautiful and is a set of 2 pieces 10x8 inches.
The artworks will go if purchased to a private collector in Dubai UAE.

 Mrs Hornsbury sold her only Robert Ixer Summer rain in a charity Auction which raised 22,000$ for her distinguished charity someone has a new addition to his collection from Singapore. Hope we can get a photo of the artworks soon.

Robert has gone very floral on this artwork as requested by Lady Thatcher. Robert resided near Grantham Lincolnshire for 10 years. This artwork has now been added to a private collection of a celebrity who wishes to be unknown.

Older work from the 80s Small painting 40x60cm owned by Lady Tartworth not for sale.

ROBERT WAS DEEPLY INSPIRED BY REFLECTION ON MUDDY OLD ENGLISH ROADS . AFTER THE SUMMER RAINS. 60X70CM 17,000$ OWNED BY ERIC VAN THINGERBUM

Sold

This is one of Roberts very rare artworks and very deferent to his other amazing works we value this picture around 70,000$

This artwork was sold in an auction in New york and sold at 24,000$ it is said to be worth around 35,000. size is 70x100cm framed.

Another artwork from the late 70s you can actually feel yourself in the painting and also smell the the air. for sale 70cm x100cm 14,900pounds

SOLD

Robert Lived for a few years in New Zealand he adapted his style and painted wonderful scenery of NZ. Mrs Holton declined an offer from a buyer at 24,000NZ$

OFFER ACCEPTED 29,000NZ

This artwork was done in the late 70s and is now owned by an unknown person, you can see clearly how the mood of his colours changed in his later years.