A series of original watercolours by Welsh ceramicist William Weston Young are set to go under the hammer at a Cardiff auction. The artwork, which includes 41 sketches of bird and botanical specimens, is expected to fetch up to £25,000.
Young, who passed away in 1847, was a defining figure in Welsh ceramics and is best known for his work at the Cambrian Pottery and Nantgarw China Works. He was an accomplished artist, inventor, and entrepreneur, and the accidental inventor of the modern blast-furnace brick.
The watercolours, which are preserved within one bound volume, are a rare find for collectors due to Young's standing in Welsh ceramic history. According to auctioneer Ben Rogers Jones, Young's name carries 'real weight' among collectors of Welsh ceramics, and his original watercolours 'rarely appear on the market'.
The collection will be sold on 27 July in Cardiff by Rogers Jones Auctioneers. The auction is expected to attract collectors and enthusiasts of Welsh ceramic art, who will be eager to get their hands on the rare artwork.