Beloved Northamptonshire artist & writer 'BB' in the spotlight at auction

The thirty lots were the highlight of an Antiques & Collectors sale at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough.

The star lot, a winter landscape titled ‘The Two Hoodie Crows’, sold for £1,100, almost tripling its estimate of £200 - £400. The signed oil painting, dated 1949, was created for BB’s book, ‘Tides Ending’. It was given as a wedding present in 1952 to a friend who had attended Rugby School, where BB worked as an art teacher from 1930 until 1947.

He gained national acclaim, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal in 1942 for the children’s book ‘The Little Grey Men’. This book was inspired by BB’s fascination with the ‘Little People’, which was rooted in his belief that he saw a gnome in his nursery at the age of four.

Denys Watkins-Pitchford was born in The Old Rectory in Lamport, Northamptonshire in 1905. Homeschooled due to ill health, he spent much of his childhood wandering the local fields, which instilled in him a profound and lasting love for the landscape. This deep connection to the Northamptonshire countryside inspired his evocative depictions of the natural world.

At 15, he left home to attend Northampton School of Art before marrying his wife Cecily Adnitt in 1939 and moving to Shrubland House in Welford. In retirement, he lived in The Round House in Sudborough. Under his nickname 'BB', derived from the size of lead shot he favoured for hunting wildfowl, he wrote and illustrated over 60 books during a 70-year career that lasted until shortly before his death in 1990.

“It’s always a pleasure when items closely tied to our local history come to us for auction, so we’re delighted to have achieved such great results for this wonderful collection,” comments Gildings’ jewellery specialist and resident BB expert, Denise Cowling. “BB’s art and books hold a special place in the hearts of the people of Northamptonshire, but as the interest we saw proves, his work, although unsentimental in tone, possesses an old-fashioned innocence that resonates far beyond the county."

Another highlight in the auction was an original illustration from ‘The Little Grey Men,’ titled ‘Dodder Fishing’, which attracted bids of £850 against a guide price of £80 - £120. This ‘tailpiece’ illustration was created using scraperboard, a process involving the removal of a black ink layer to reveal a white surface beneath. BB mastered this technique to create his trademark intricate and atmospheric ‘headpiece’ and ‘tailpiece’ images used at the beginning and end of chapters.

Books also performed strongly, with a set of eight first editions from the popular ‘Bill Badger’ series selling for £480 against an estimate of £200 - £300. A first edition of ‘The Little Grey Men’, alongside a later edition of the same book and a copy of ‘Down the Bright Stream’ achieved £260, more than doubling a guide price of £80 - £120.

Amongst several more scraperboard illustrations and a great many books, the collection also included a bespoke carp fishing rod made for the Northamptonshire-based BB Society. This sold for £260 against an estimate of £100 - £150.

“Denys Watkins-Pitchford’s powerful affinity to countryside pursuits and the mysteries of the natural world is the constant thread weaving throughout his work, so it’s fantastic to know that these very special artworks and books have now found homes with enthusiasts who will cherish them for years to come,” adds Denise.

Those with similar collections they are interested in selling can arrange a free no-obligation valuation at gildings.co.uk or by calling 01858 410 414.