LONDON, ENGLAND.-The first of two autumn British and Irish Art sales at Olympia will include a small but interesting collection of works from the eminent Italian artist, Pietro Annigoni. This collection of nine works, each of which is estimated at between £1,000-£4,000, has come from a single private owner and all of the works are fresh to the auction market. One of the works on offer is entitled Balthazar's Feast and is estimated to fetch £2,000-£3,000.

Works by Annigoni last came to auction at Sotheby's in 2002, when a larger private collection of approximately 40 of his works went under the hammer. The collection sold very well and a UK auction record was set for the artist when one of his self portraits sold for £32,900. Annigoni is mostly recognised for his portraits of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and in particular for the portrait executed in 1969, which is today exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Also featuring in the sale will be a selection of early works by the St Ives group – this will include two works by Peter Canyon and a striking watercolour by Patrick Heron. The watercolour, is entitled Harbour Window in Mirror and it is estimated to fetch £3,000-£5,000.

Modern British artists Jack Vettriano, Robert Lenkewicz and David Shepherd will also be represented. Following on from the success of Lenkewicz in the May British and Irish Art sale at Olympia, when a world auction record was set for one of his works, another important work by him will be offered in this sale. Entitled Les Ryder, Jacob's Ladder, this oil is estimated at £8,000-£12,000. Among the Shepherd works on offer will be a painting of an elephant, estimated at £20,000-£30,000.

Furthermore, the sale will include a good assortment of sculpture with works by Michael Ayrtin of particular interest among these lots. Ayrtin's Figure in Balance is expected to fetch £4,000-£6,000 while his bronze entitled Sea Figure (which is being sold in conjunction with a study drawing) is estimated at £2,500-£3,500.