Cambridge auction house to sell off part of county council art collection but it’s not Cambridgeshire’s - that went under the hammer years ago

Local auctioneers Cheffins will handle the sale of items from Herts County Council'’s art collection. Lot 129 Robert MacBryde, (Scottish, 1913-1966) Still life with an oil lamp and a basket of eggs on a tableOil on canvas (Image: Archant)

The sale – dubbed ‘The Curated Eye’ – Selected Works from Hertfordshire County Council – will include many of collection’s 20th century pieces.

According to the auctioneers, a pastel work from the Scottish artist Joan Eardley is expected to sell for between £12,000 and £18,000.

‘Blue Plate’ by Edinburgh School artist Anne Redpath has an estimate of between £10,000 and £15,000.

There is a still life by Robert MacBryde which has a sales estimate of between £7,000 and £10,000.

Local auctioneers Cheffins will handle the sale of items from Herts County Council’'s art collection. Lot 32 Michael Ayrton, (British, 1921-1975) Encounter No. 1Oil on board (Image: Archant)

The sale is on March 21 with advance viewing days.

Cllr Terry Douris, the county council’s cabinet member for education, libraries and localism, said it was “the sensible thing to do”.

He said 60 per cent of the art collection was in storage and not available to the public so it made sense to get a good return for taxpayers.

The county council began buying artworks in the collection in 1949, so they could be loaned to schools across the county.

Local auctioneers Cheffins will handle the sale of items from Herts County Council’s art collection. Lot 147 Edward Wadsworth (British, 1889-1949) Composition on a Blue Ground II, 1933Tempera on board (Image: Archant)

Over the years it grew into an extensive collection of public art, including works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and John Nash, with a value that has been estimated at up to £26.2million.

The four most valuable sculptures in the collection, with an estimated value of £21.86million, have not been earmarked for disposal.

Four years ago Cambridgeshire County Council unloaded its entire 400 or so paintings built up over nearly 70 years as part of its children’s collection.

Local auctioneers Cheffins will handle the sale of items from Herts County Council’s art collectionLot 96 Joan Eardley, RSA (Scottish, 1921-1963) A Young Boy Reading Pastel and chalk (Image: Archant)