Chaloner Arcedeckne's Most Excellent Venice Souvenir

Chaloner Arcedeckne was the son of Andrew Arcedeckne, attorney general in Jamaica back when we, too, were a British colony. Not many years after his father's death in 1763, Chaloner set off on the Grand Tour. In Venice he purchased two canal scenes by Francesco Guardi. Below is "Venice, a View of the Rialto Bridge from the Fondamenta del Carbon.”


"Chaloner Arcedeckne." The names cries out to be googled. Turns out the family had Irish roots. "Arcedeckne" is pronounced "Archdeacon."

Chaloner oversaw the family sugar estates in Jamaica through a resident agent, and in the 1780s served as a Member of Parliament. After 1790 he seems to have retired to ceremonial posts, such as High Sheriff of Suffolk. Presumably that left him ample time to admire his paintings.

In July Sotheby's hopes to sell this Guardi for over $30 million.

Now what were you telling your clients about art as investment?