LONDON.- This December, Sotheby’s will host Art of Travel, a new themed auction exploring the enduring allure of travel. In the 19th century, art and society were transformed by the possibilities offered by ever more affordable and convenient travel and transport. Views by artist-travellers of inspiring destinations around Europe and further afield, from Marrakech to Venice, and Paris to Istanbul, will lead the sale. For the first time at Sotheby’s these will be presented together with a diverse selection of photographs, maps, and luxury travel collectibles, including Louis Vuitton vintage luggage. This online sale will launch with a selection of highlights on view at Belmond Cadogan Hotel on 2 December, and will remain open for bidding until the 12. Highlights will also be on public view in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries from 7 to 11 December.

Richard Lowkes, Sotheby’s 19th Century European Paintings Specialist, in charge of the sale, commented: “Our sale Art of Travel offers an eclectic selection of property from across nine collecting categories, designed to appeal to the 21st century traveller. The sale’s title can be read in several ways – not least, it is the title of Norman Parkinson’s iconic 1951 photograph, which is included in the sale. The early 20th-century Louis Vuitton luggage on offer evokes this same spirit of travel at its most refined and elegant. At the same time, the sale is rich in art inspired by travel – from Jacques Majorelle’s scenes of Marrakech or West Africa to Lucien Levy-Dhurmer’s Symbolist vision of Venice. The maps and atlases, some from the 17th century, bring to life an earlier age of travel and exploration. With estimates ranging from £600 to £60,000, the sale offers opportunities for collectors at every level.”

Highlights include –

• Jacques Majorelle, In the Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech, watercolour and gouache heightened with metallic pigment on paper, painted circa 1950-55, estimate £25,000-35,000

• Lucien Levy-Dhurmer, Venice, pastel on paper, estimate £50,000-70,000

• Carl Hasch, The Nile Cataract, Aswan, oil on canvas, estimate £8,000-12,000

• Thomas Baines, The British Expedition to Abyssinia, 1868; Indian elephants carrying guns up a mountain pass, oil on canvas, estimate £30,000-50,000

• A selection of Louis Vuitton trunks, featuring a Cocktail Bar and Humidor Customised Trunk, estimate £40,000-50,000; a Motoring Trunk, estimate £10,000-15,000; and a Wardrobe Trunk, estimate £15,000-20,000

• Photographs by Norman Parkinson: The Art of Travel, 1951, estimate £8,000-12,000 and Wenda and Ostriches, 1951, estimate £2,000-3,000

• Four large-format panorama photographs of desert scenes of travellers and camels by Lehnert & Landrock, estimate £3,000-5,000

• 5 Inch Gauge Great Western Railway, Class 4-6-0 ‘King George V’ No. 6000, estimate £10,000-12,000

• 7¼In. Gauge Model of a Two Foot Gauge 2-4-4 Forney, estimate £6,000-8,000

• Stroma Yole “Bee”, 1904, Scotland, estimate £10,000-15,000 – one of the last remaining examples of the original Stroma Yoles, style of boat that is a legacy from the days when Vikings lived and ruled in the North of Scotland

• A large collection of photographs including stereo cards, and magic lantern slides, together with a graphoscope, late 19th century to early 20th century, estimate £800-1,200

• Elephant Bird Egg, 17th century or earlier, estimate £20,000-30,000

• A Gucci Tan Leather Saddle, late 20th century, estimate £2,000-3,000

• A Louis Vuitton Limited Edition 1998 World Cup Football, with a leather carrying strap support, and with a metal pin for inflating the ball, estimate £3,000-5,000

• Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’saisons Experience for Two Guests, estimate £4,000-5,000