Paintings found in skip by dog walkers sell for £16,000 at auction

A couple who spotted two paintings in a skip while walking their dog have seen them fetch £16,000 at auction.

They had hung on the walls of their home in Pembrokeshire for several years before they decided to learn more about the artist, according to Rogers Jones Auctioneers.

The couple then realised Louis Wain was a celebrated British artist known for his depictions of cats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

"We always joked they might be worth something one day but never truly believed it," they said.

"When we initially saw them in the tip, they grabbed our attention as we thought it could be a lovely gift for our daughter-in-law who loves cats," explained the couple who wanted to remain anonymous but spoke via the auction house.

"After spending around a year in her home, she eventually gifted them back to us, and we had them hanging on our walls for several years.

"One day, we decided to research Louis Wain and were gobsmacked to see how famous he was - even a film has been made about him."

The biographical drama, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, was released in 2021.

Rogers Jones said Wain frequently struggled for money, often selling his work for small sums but who had since since become one of Britain's most influential artists.

Auctioneer Ben Rogers Jones said, while it was unusual for paintings to be found discarded, it wasn't unheard of.

He also explained that anyone selling at auction had to sign a contract to confirm they owned the item.

Who was Louis Wain?

Born in Clerkenwell on 5 August 1860, Louis Wain worked as a teacher at the West London School of Art, where he had also been a student.

He went on to become a freelance artist for trade journals and newspapers.

In 1924, at the age of 63, Wain was certified insane and taken to the paupers' ward of a London hospital.

He was transferred to the famous Bethlem hospital and continued drawing until his death in 1939.

Are you allowed to take things from skips?

This goes back to the "theft by finding" Victorian Law. Despite items being put in a skip seen as "abandoned", taking items poses a risk under the Theft Act (1968) in England and Wales.

There are many risks that come with skip diving, as skips often contain broken glass, metal shards or biohazardous waste.

It is always best to ask the owner's permission before taking something from a skip.