A small bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill, widely regarded as the greatest Briton to have ever lived, comes up for auction on Wednesday, April 5, at Duke’s in Dorchester.
The auctioneers expect it to sell for up to £100,000, but because of the huge interest generated in the wartime leader, many experts believe it could sell for a great deal more. The statue, which measures 59cm high, is by the sculptor Oscar Nemon (1906-85), who was greatly admired by Churchill and became a friend and confidant of the statesman.
According to Nemon, Churchill was not an easy subject and he could be ‘bellicose, challenging and deliberately provocative’ – which meant Nemon would often approach sittings with great trepidation.
Guy Schwinge, of Duke’s, said: “This stunning bronze is the ultimate depiction of Churchill. It is the original bronze maquette for the full-size statue of Churchill in the Members’ Lobby at the Palace of Westminster. Additional bronzes were produced subsequently but this is a one-off and, as such, it is of great importance.”
For more information and a fully illustrated catalogue at www.dukes-auctions.com or phone 01305 265080.