Forgotten art collection to be auctioned for £45k

A collection of artwork that had been left in the basement of the County Hall in Kent is to be sold at auction.

The artwork includes about 350 lithographs, linocuts, screen prints, etchings, wood cuts and engravings depicting Dover, Tenterden, Maidstone, Ivychurch, Canterbury and Sepham Heath, near Sevenoaks.

Most of the art was purchased 40 years ago as part of the Kent Visual Arts Loan Scheme (KVALS), designed for lending to schools and work places, Kent County Council (KCC) said.

The collection has an estimated value of £45,700.

The KVALS scheme aimed to offer the opportunity for people to experience and benefit from art on a daily basis when it might otherwise not have been a possibility, the council said.

The scheme has not run for more than 10 years, and the artwork has been in storage since that time.

Paul Webb, cabinet member for community and regulatory services, said: "The reason for selling is a practical one, with the closure of the basement store where the art works are kept.

"It is a really fascinating collection and if you have time, you can disappear down a rabbit hole learning more about the artists and their inspiration.

"I am sure the works have brought a lot of joy over the years to many people, and will now continue to do so."

Individual lot valuations vary from £200 to £1,500.

The catalogue can be viewed online via the Sworders auction house.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.