Christopher Cock (auctioneer)
Christopher Cock | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1690s London, England |
| Died | December 1748 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Auctioneer, art restorer |
| Years active | 1717–1748 |
| Known for | Auctioneer in London; pioneering auction catalogues with estimated prices; art restoration |
Christopher Cock (d. 1748) was a distinguished London-based auctioneer and art restorer in England. His first documented auction took place in 1717. Initially, he operated from several Soho addresses before moving to the Great Piazza in Covent Garden in 1731. Cock conducted auctions for numerous prominent individuals of his time. He was married to Ann, though further family information remains undisclosed. Cock passed away in 1748 and was laid to rest at St Paul's, Covent Garden.
Biography
Christopher Cock is believed to have been born in London during the 1690s, possibly the son of John Cock (deceased 1714), who was involved in printselling and dealing in artworks; however, this connection lacks conclusive proof. A Christopher Edward Cock, child of John and Mary, was baptized in London in 1695.
Cock died in December 1748 and was buried at St Paul's, Covent Garden on the 16th of that month. Although his burial site is recorded in church documents, no memorial stone currently marks his grave.
Auctioneer
The earliest reference to Cock as an auctioneer comes from George Vertue in 1717. His first advertisement in a newspaper appeared five years later, announcing the sale of "A Most Excellent Collection of Pictures by the Celebrated Italian and other Masters," which launched a prosperous career spanning three decades. Numerous advertisements and approximately thirty auction catalogues attest to his broad clientele, which included notable figures such as John Bridges, Sir Robert Cotton, Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Sir James Thornhill, Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, Sir William Billers, Josiah Burchett, and James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. Eminent personalities like Joshua Reynolds and Alexander Pope were documented attendees at significant auctions.
Cock applied a commission rate of five percent on sales up to £40 or £50, with a graduated scale for higher amounts. He pioneered certain auction practices; notably by 1737, he offered to include estimated prices within catalogues—a forerunner to modern auction house procedures established much later.
Circa 1731, Cock engaged William Hogarth to paint a group portrait depicting himself alongside six individuals (later reduced to five), including collector Sir Andrew Fountaine. This artwork, preserved by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, represents the sole known likeness of Cock.
In 1737, Cock was lampooned by Henry Fielding in the play The Historical Register under the character name Christopher Hen.
In 1747, Abraham Langford became Cock’s business partner and succeeded him after his death the following year.
Family and Residences
Cock’s will mentions his wife Ann; however, no marriage or offspring records have been found.
During his early professional years, Christopher Cock resided at multiple addresses along Broad Street (currently Broadwick Street):
- 1722 – Adjacent to the Vine Tavern, Broad Street, St James's
- 1722–1724 – Upper section of Broad Street near Golden Square
- 1725 – The Two Blue Spires, Broad Street
- 1726–1731 – Poland Street cornering Broad Street
In 1731 he relocated to Nos. 9–10, Great Piazza, Covent Garden, where he stayed until his passing. The previous occupant was Hon. Edward Wortley Montagu.
Behind this property, Cock established an auction room that remained operational for over one hundred years—later overseen by Abraham Langford and Henry Robins from 1790 onward. Beyond hosting auctions, Cock utilized this venue to display and vend artworks by leading painters such as Sir Godfrey Kneller, Sir James Thornhill, and Peter Tillemans. His testament also indicated that part of his premises was leased to Allan Ramsay, the Scottish portrait artist, for an annual rent of £63. Additionally, Cock owned three shares in the Daily Advertiser newspaper. Following his death, Langford conducted a sale of Cock’s art collection at the Great Piazza location in May 1749.
Hogarth’s 1745 etching The Battle of the Pictures satirized Cock’s nearby auction house by portraying a mock auction ticket featuring Hogarth’s own paintings besieged by copies of old masters exhibited outside Cock’s establishment.