AN ORIGINAL drawing of a listed building in Caerphilly by one of the most important UK artists of the 20th century is going up for sale.

L.S. Lowry created the art – a pencil drawing – of the Handball Court in Nelson on November 6, 1961, when he was sat in a nearby café with friend Monty Bloom. The drawing is signed and dated to this date.

It was created when the famed artist was around 77 years old. The 15cm drawing on a napkin was given to artist Percy Warburton who later passed it on through his family. It was bought at an auction six years ago by Glenn Davies.

South Wales Argus:

The sketch

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The keen collector of paintings said: “This interested me because in the mid-70s I worked in Deep Navigation Colliery which is in the next village down. I played handball in the court sometimes after work.

“The café he drew in was still there and we used to get coffee there. It has a personal interest for me but it’s never been hung on a wall. I’ve always kept it locked away. It is time for somebody, hopefully local to get some enjoyment.”

In the 1960s, Lowry began a new era of his work being inspired to recreate the Welsh scenery, creating more experimental pieces in his new way of writing.

South Wales Argus: LS Lowry sketch of Caerphilly handball court

The sketch

He was introduced to the valleys by Mr Bloom, who was an Ebbw Vale businessman, and they would both visit the area every six months. It is said that Mr Bloom “recognised the appeal the grim contrast of spoil hills side by side with real mountains would have on the artist.”

After creating his initial sketch he then added the figures in the foreground and even decided to remove a part of the drawing – with a scribbled out area still visible on the left.

The sale of the piece will be done through Rogers Jones auction house in Cardiff in April. Visit https://www.rogersjones.co.uk/ for more information when the piece is listed.