Bonhams to Offer Quentin Blake Works in Fundraising Sale for Illustration Centre
Bonhams will host Airborne: A Fundraising Sale for the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, an online auction running from April 21 to April 29. The 53-lot sale features original works by Sir Quentin Blake, including pieces from his Moonlight Travellers, Airborne, and On the Wing series. Estimates range from £300 to £3,000. Proceeds will support the transformation of a derelict 18th- and 19th-century waterworks in Clerkenwell, London, into the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, which is set to open in spring 2026. The centre will house Blake's archive of over 40,000 works and host exhibitions and community programs.
The Signal
The sale offers collectors a rare chance to acquire original Blake works at accessible price points while directly funding a major institutional project. The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration represents a significant expansion of the UK's illustration infrastructure, providing a dedicated space for the medium that has long been underserved by major museums. For collectors, the sale signals both philanthropic opportunity and potential long-term value, as the centre's opening may increase institutional and public interest in Blake's oeuvre.
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- Artists: Sir Quentin Blake
- People: Lindsey Glen, Mary Gatenby
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Museums: Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration
- Locations: London
- Prices: £300-500, £2,000-3,000, £1,500-2,000, £1,000-1,500, £600-800, £800-1,200
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