Louis Wain collection in Surrey sale

A private collection of 13 watercolours and sketches by Louis Wain (1860-1939), famous for his depictions of humorous cats, is coming to the market for the first time in 50 years when it will be offered by Parker Fine Art Auctions in Surrey.

The collection is expected to fetch between £30,000 to 40,000 and is being sold by the son of antiques dealer who collected the pictures.

Henny Smith, Director of Parker Fine Art explains: “Louis Wain is synonymous with creating human-like depictions of cats and this collection shows cats in hats; with wonderful facial expressions; on the beach and even stealing chickens.”

She continued: “This collection was amassed by a lady who worked in antique shops in the 1940s and 50s. She started to collect Wain due to her love of cats – she owned breeds such as a Blue Burmese and Abyssinians – and the humour she found in the works by Wain.”

The estimates range from £200 to £15,000 and among the highlights is Christmas Shopping, an en grisaille that depicts cats shopping at a butcher, which was bought from the London dealer Michael Parkin on Christmas Eve in 1986. The picture is expected to fetch between £10,000 to £15,000.

Elsewhere, a pen, ink and watercolour titled I assure you I’m quite sober carries an estimate of £5,000-8,000. A lithograph titled The Conductor is estimated at £200-£300, and a Lucky Haw Haw Cat vase made for Max Emanuel and Co. carries an estimate of £300-£500.

The collection will be offered in the auction house’s sale of Fine Paintings and Frames on October 3 in Farnham, Surrey.