Drawings & Pastels

Auctioneers Bainbridges of Ruislip are selling a chalk and gouache drawing attributed to Thomas Gainsborough.

One of the best-loved of all of E.H. Shepard’s illustrations to the famous A.A. Milne books has set a saleroom record after selling for £260,000.

The name Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) was mentioned as the possible hand responsible for this unsigned 18th century French charcoal and chalk drawing that leapt from lowly expectations to sell for £320,000 (plus 22.5% buyer’s premium) at Toovey’s of Washington, West Sussex on October 8.

Two drawings of Old Testament subjects by the American-born portrait and history painter Benjamin West (1738-1820) proved the highlight of the latest sale of Old Masters & 19th Century Works on Paper at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions’ saleroom in Mayfair.

This postcard sketch by the Chapman Brothers is one of a large number created by well-known figures in art, sport, music TV and film to raise money for Action Against Cancer and the Brain Tumor Charity Silas Pullen Fund.

A sketch by LS Lowry will be offered at Peter Wilson of Nantwich in Cheshire on May 1.

EXHIBITION – In 1956, the woodsman Ted Floate met Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979) quite by chance but ended up managing the artist’s estate while also helping with framing and even giving other technical advice.

Christie’s has announced a major consignment of Old Master drawings which will be offered over the next two years in a series of sales in London, Amsterdam and Paris.

This pencil drawing by John Constable inscribed ‘Binfiled Decr. 6th 1816’ is believed to have made when the artist was staying in Binfield in Berkshire whilst returning from his honeymoon in Dorset with his wife Maria.

One of lots drawing a decent competition at the Adam’s sale at Slane Castle last month was a pair of chalk portraits by Robert Healy (c.1743-71).

Herefordshire was judged a little too remote for most Midlands industrialists seeking a rural retreat in the Arts and Crafts idiom.

Drawn from life at Nelson’s home, Merton, just weeks before the Battle of Trafalgar, this pastel portrait by the marine artist John Whichelo sold for £52,000 at Sotheby’s.

A pencil drawing by LS Lowry (1887-1976) set an auction record for a work on paper by the artist this week, selling for £175,000.

Consigned to Rosebery’s two-day sale in West Norwood, London on March 19-20 is a late 19th century scrap album containing some 50 illustrations.

It was during negotiations to secure the future of the Kelmscott Press after the death of William Morris in 1896 that Laurence William Hodson (1863-1933) acquired four watercolour and pencil designs by Philip Webb (1831-1915).

Six pencil studies for The Days of Creation by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833-98) carry an estimate of £150,000-250,000 at Bonhams’ 19th century art sale in New Bond Street on January 23.

The highly distinctive works on paper by William Conor (1884-1968) documenting working-class life in Ulster come up pretty regularly at auction, mainly because there are simply a lot of them around.

This portrait of Sinead O’Connor as a young girl was consigned to Whyte’s sale on November 26 by the singer herself.

As predicted, Michael Winner’s superb collection of original book illustrations realised a total in excess of £1m at Sotheby’s.