Attenborough art treasures SET to make MILLIONS in sale
PAINTINGS and Picasso ceramics collected by the late Lord and Lady Attenborough are expected to fetch millions at auction later this month.
The Attenborough’s love of art led to their Richmond, home being filled with valuable works
Richard and Shelia Attenborough’s love of art led to their Richmond, south-west London, home being filled with valuable works.
But high insurance costs have led their son Michael to put the works up for auction.
Experts revealed the 37 paintings could fetch £1million under the hammer, while the 67 Picasso ceramics assembled by the couple could be sold for £1.5million.
The sale will include artwork collected during the early days of the couple’s life together.
Film director Richard and actress wife Sheila Sim both died in 2014, after 69 years of marriage.
Theatre director Michael said: “Some of them are well beyond our budget in terms of insurance. It is very expensive to insure paintings of that sort of value. I would love to think they could go to somewhere a lot of people could enjoy them. It’s kind of painful to lose them.”
The sale will include artwork collected during the early days of the couple’s life together
He fell in love with paintings and loved collecting. It was a passion of his
Highlights include a Henry Moore drawing estimated at £250,000 and a Winston Churchill painting valued at £150,000.
Star pieces in the ceramics collection include the Grand Vase aux Femmes Nues, which could sell for £350,000 and Elisabeth Frink’s Mirage II sculpture valued at £120,000.
The sale is at Sotheby’s in London next week
But high insurance costs have led their son Michael to put the works up for auction
Severine Nackers, Sotheby’s Picasso Ceramics Specialist, said: “This is quite simply the best collection of its kind in private hands, infused with the sheer joy that it gave Lord Attenborough.”
Michael, 66, added: “He never ever bought a painting as an investment. He fell in love with paintings and loved collecting. It was a passion of his.”
The sale is at Sotheby’s in London next week.