A rare pencil drawing by the legendary Salford artist L.S. Lowry could fetch more than £30,000 at auction.
The artwork, depicting a cottage in the Cheshire village of Romiley, is set to go under the hammer next month at Littleton Auctions in Warwickshire.
After more than a decade in a private collection, the 1930s drawing by one of Britain’s most celebrated artists is estimated to sell for between £30,000 and £50,000.
Benjamin Homer, Managing Director of Littleton Auctions, said the work is a “remarkably intimate drawing of a real place.”
The pencil drawing of Beech Cottage in Romiley was created in 1930 and portrays a rural cottage and the surrounding landscape.
Signed and dated “L S Lowry 1930”, the work measures approximately 19 x 27.5cm and has a documented history on the art market.
It was previously offered at auction house Bonhams and was later handled by specialist fine art dealer Clark Art Ltd, which specialises in Northern and Modern British art before it was sold into a private collection where it remained until now.
“Lowry is known around the world for his industrial landscapes and matchstick figures, but his drawings are incredibly important to understanding him as an artist,” Homer added.
“When I first saw this picture, the quality of the drawing immediately stood out. Once we examined the provenance and established its history, it became clear that we were dealing with a significant original work.
“What I particularly like about Beech Cottage, Romiley is that it shows a quieter side of Lowry. There are no crowds or factory chimneys. It is a remarkably intimate drawing of a real place, created by Lowry in 1930.
“The drawing has been in private ownership for around eleven years and we are extremely excited to be bringing it back to the open market.”
Lowry was born in 1887 and spent much of his life in and around Salford and Manchester. Although best known for his distinctive depictions of the industrial North West, he produced numerous drawings and paintings of streets, houses, and landscapes throughout his career.
Original drawings by Lowry have attracted strong international interest at auction, with collectors paying significant five and six-figure sums for important works on paper.
Homer described Lowry as one of “Britain’s most recognisable artists” and said that original works of this quality “simply don’t appear every day.”
He continued: “We expect interest from established Lowry collectors, but the Romiley connection may also appeal to buyers with a particular interest in the history of the area.
“It will be fascinating to see where the bidding takes it.”
More information about the sale of Lowry’s Beech Cottage in Romiley drawing can be found on the Littleton Auctions website.
