A painting by Dorset artist Dame Elisabeth Frink could fetch up to £3,000 at auction this month.

Numerous local vendors will be auctioning their pictures on Wednesday, January 17 at Lawrence Auctioneers in Crewkerne, Somerset. 

A distinctive and boldly drawn watercolour of a horse by Frink was a 50th birthday gift to a friend in 1991 and is expected to sell for around £2,000 to £3,000.

From the same vendor, a Michael Ayrton self portrait at his easel, painted in the late 1940s, which is unusual for being painted in oil on aluminium, is also estimated at  £2,000 to £3,000.

A group of 33 pictures from a private collection in Dorset will also be up for grabs at the auction.

The collection comprises of a view of St Mark’s Square in Venice in the style of Canaletto, and also works by Hercules Brabazon Brabazon, Edward Lear and modern works including a Paul Maitland painting called `Shop Window on Hollywood Road`.

Director of the picture department at Lawrence Auctioneers said: “We anticipate that a stylish portrait of George Purling, attributed to George Romney (1734-1802), offered by sale by the sitter’s descendant, will attract very keen interest.

“The young gentleman, depicted with as much elegant refinement in his clothing as in his expression, is sure to catch bidders’ eyes at £7,000 to £10,000.

"There are 180 lots in the picture section. Works in all media from the 16th century to the present day, with estimates from £100 to £10,000, should ensure that we can offer something for every collector.”

Other works that will be available to purchase include a curious picture depicting a kitchen still life with a cat and a sturgeon, by an artist working in the circle of George Smith of Chichester (1714-1776), and a serene atmospheric scene of `The Banks of Loch Lomond` by the distinctive and accomplished Victorian artist Alfred de Breanski.

Ten works on paper by Karl Weschke (1925-2005), a German-born artist with links to the St Ives school of artists, have been consigned for sale by the artist’s family and are appearing at auction for the first time.