Paintings by Northamptonshire artist George Holland to be auctioned for the first time after collector dies

Paintings by George Holland are set to be auctioned.

A collection of original paintings by Northamptonshire artist George Holland will be auctioned next month, including some which will hit the market for the first time ever.

Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers, in Towcester, has acquired a collection of 21 paintings including of local scenes and county people.

The paintings could be worth up to £600 each, but the business is keen to keep them in Northamptonshire.

Some of the paintings will be on the market for the first time ever.

Jonathan Humbert, from the auction house, said: “George Holland was a fantastic artist of local scenes, churches and notable people.

“He had a great style and was an old fashioned painter.

“He has a stylised way of painting that is easy on the eye. He is the most subjective of anything we sell though, you either love his work or not.

“Any time we have had a George Holland painting, they have always sold and been very sought after.”

Bids can now be placed on the 21 paintings.

The auction house is extremely pleased to be dealing with the collection and acquired the paintings after a collector died, leaving the artwork behind in his estate.

As the collector bought some of the paintings directly from the painter, some of the oil on canvas paintings will be hitting the market for the very first time.

Jonathan added: “We had a call six weeks ago from a son who was sorting out his deceased father’s estate.

“He has 45 paintings, mainly from Northamptonshire painters, including 21 from George Holland.

“Some of these will be on the market for the first time since they were painted as the collector bought some of them directly from George Holland and then some in clearance when Holland died.

“Some are of individuals like former mayors or councillors and some are of Northamptonshire places.

“The painter is from Northamptonshire, they paintings are of Northamptonshire so it would be nice if they are sold back into the county.”

The paintings will be sold on a no reserve basis and Jonathan says they will ‘make what they make’.

The auctioneer does however expect the smaller paintings to make around £100 and bigger ones to make between £400 and £600.

The catalogue of the lots can be bid on now, but the sales will not complete for any paintings until September 2.

Visit the auction house website to find out more.