Extensive Collection of Peter Firmin’s Artwork Headed to Public Auction
Traveloasisspot.com – A remarkable assemblage of approximately five hundred original artworks created by Peter Firmin, the beloved designer behind iconic children’s characters including Bagpuss and Basil Brush, is set to be offered to collectors and enthusiasts. These treasures were recently unearthed within the artist’s own residence in Kent, where they had remained hidden for decades.
Auction Details and Contents
The Canterbury Auction Galleries will host a live, online-only event spanning July 31 and August 1 to present this extraordinary collection. The items encompass a diverse range of creative output: original watercolour paintings, pen-and-ink drawings depicting his most celebrated characters, detailed storyboards from both literary works and television productions, alongside rare collectible toys and games. Additionally, Firmin’s personal artistic contributions—predominantly linocuts and engravings—are included in the offering.
The discovery occurred while the family’s farmhouse and surrounding outbuildings were being prepared for sale. Katy Firmin, the fourth of her father’s six daughters, shared her perspective on the emotional significance of the find.
“My family have lived here in Blean since 1959 and when opening various cupboards have found things we simply didn’t know existed.”
She reflected further on the sentiment attached to the collection, noting that her father possessed an extraordinary ability to retain nearly everything he created or encountered over his long life.
“It’s an emotional wrench. But there are just so many things, he never threw anything away. The six of us have all kept things that we particularly love but it’s time to share the rest. People have such fond memories of characters like Bagpuss and now they have the chance to own a little bit of their childhood.”
Historical Significance and Highlights
The auction house has described the collection as a “treasure trove,” marking it as the most substantial gathering of Firmin’s creative output to ever reach the auction block. Among the standout items are hand-painted illustrations bearing visible corrections and modifications that Firmin made during his working process. Collectible models representing numerous characters from series such as The Clangers and Bagpuss feature prominently, alongside original storyboard illustrations and books, including previously unpublished book attempts that were discovered within the home.
Susanna Woodgate, a specialist valuer at Canterbury Auction Galleries, expressed her enthusiasm for the project.
“The Canterbury Auction Galleries is proud to be auctioning the studio collection of Peter Firmin. His work brought such pleasure to so many children and their parents over the years. It is a privilege to now be able to offer people a chance to own original pieces of his work. Cataloguing the items has been a real nostalgia trip.”
Firmin’s Legacy and Collaborations
Peter Firmin, who passed away at the age of eighty-nine in 2018, co-created several enduring children’s television programmes. Beyond Bagpuss and Basil Brush, his portfolio includes The Saga Of Noggin The Nog, Ivor The Engine, The Clangers, and Pogles’ Wood. In recognition of his contributions to British television, he received the Bafta lifetime achievement award in 2014.
Firmin established Smallfilms alongside Oliver Postgate, who died in 2008. While Firmin was responsible for crafting the puppets, sets, and backdrops, Postgate authored most of the narratives and provided narration for the television series. Their inaugural success arrived in 1959 with Ivor The Engine, which followed the adventures of a Welsh steam locomotive aspiring to join a choir. The original hand-drawn comic strip depicting Ivor is among the items included in the current sale.
In a gesture of cultural preservation, the Firmin family is donating the original Bagpuss puppet and the original family of The Clangers to Canterbury’s Beaney museum, where these pieces have previously been on loan.
Auction Information
The sale forms part of a four-day auction event. Viewing of the Firmin Studio collection is available by appointment only. Interested parties may consult www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com for complete online catalogues or telephone 01227 763337 to arrange a viewing appointment.
