Cheffins has announced that a series of early 20th-century drawings from Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe will go under the hammer at its December Fine Sale.
The 22 images depict farming scenes and are being offered for sale by a private London collector. They feature scenes of the harvest, dairy farming and farmworkers, and are completed using pencil, ink and chalk.
They are believed to have been completed in the 1930s, possibly as illustrations for a book. Other images from the period depict the mechanisation of the industry, including vintage tractors and combine harvesters.
Nicolas Martineau, director, Cheffins Fine Art Department, comments: “These charming and carefully observed works by Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe offer a window into the working life of farmers in the early 20th-century British in both field and dairy.
“The artist’s ability to capture the realism and rhythm of agricultural life makes these drawings particularly special, not to mention nostalgic, especially for anyone with a connection to the land. They serve as a celebration of farming heritage and the craftsmanship that shaped rural Britain.”
The drawings will be offered in three lots. The first includes 11 scenes of arable farming, estimated to make between £1,500 and £2,500. The second has four images of British farmworkers, expected to make £600-£800. The third lot has seven drawings related to dairying and is expected to achieve between £1,000 and £1,500.
The sales will take place on the 3rd and 4th of December, at Clifton House, Cambridge. For more information, go to www.cheffins.co.uk