Beatrix Potter artwork smashes estimate

Botanical artwork, attributed to Beatrix Potter, has made over 10 times its lower estimate when it went to auction recently. Sold by Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd in Derbyshire, the drawing which was originally estimated to make between £200-£300, ended up selling for a whopping £2,600.

Auctioneer Irita Marriott, a regular on Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, said of the sale, ‘We had a lot of interest in this lot leading up to the auction, but we were utterly blown away when the hammer came down at £2,600! We knew it was something special when we first saw it and we’re just so happy the bidders thought so too.’

Most famous for her children’s stories such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tailor of Gloucester, Beatrix was also a proficient artist and did all the illustrations for her stories. The watercolour of a dandelion, signed using her first name Helen, is one of a number of botanically accurate watercolours she produced, other examples of which are included in the collection of the V&A.