Collection worth six figure sum found in Ilford wardrobe

Leonard Fryer at work painting a stamp with a magnifying glass to aid him. Picture: Hansons Archant

Many things have been found in the back of residents’ wardrobes over the years but most of the items probably wouldn’t reach a six-figure sum on the open market.

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Nigeria and Ceylon designs. Picture: Hansons Nigeria and Ceylon designs. Picture: Hansons

Hundreds of stamp size paintings worth an estimated £150,000 were found in an Ilford closet after Pauline Fryer died at the age of 84.

The magnifying glass Mr Fryer used for his work next to one of his designs and photo of him at work. Picture: Hansons The magnifying glass Mr Fryer used for his work next to one of his designs and photo of him at work. Picture: Hansons

Gathering dust, behind a rack of clothes, was a rare collection of 270 original stamps and 40 banknote designs, painted in watercolour by her relative, artist Leonard Fryer.

Paintings of Augustus and Emma Fryer, painted by Leonard Fryer, display his portraiture skills.Picture: Hansons Paintings of Augustus and Emma Fryer, painted by Leonard Fryer, display his portraiture skills.Picture: Hansons

Dubbed “mini masterpieces”, the tiny works of art had to be drawn with a paintbrush in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other.

Jim Spencer with examples of Mr Fryer’s work. Picture: Hansons Jim Spencer with examples of Mr Fryer’s work. Picture: Hansons

The archive is being sold by the artist’s granddaughters Dianne Fryer, 67, of Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, and her sister Jan Bullock, of Lewes, East Sussex.

Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons

Dianne said: “We’re so proud of grandad’s work - I’m a retired graphic designer and appreciate what a wonderful artist he was, particularly when it came to portraiture.

Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons

“The stamp and banknote designs were found after our aunty, Pauline Fryer, a fashion designer, died.

Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons Examples of Mr Fryer�s stamp and bank note artwork. Picture: Hansons

“We had to clear her house, and found them tucked away in a wardrobe in a spare bedroom.

A bank note. Picture: Hansons A bank note. Picture: Hansons

“It was a complete surprise - we had no idea they were there, I’d imagine they’d been there for decades.”

The artist, who died at the age of 74 in 1964, worked as a designer for London’s Waterlow and Sons, a worldwide engraver and printers of currency, postage stamps, stocks and bond certificates founded in 1810.

His work, carried out between the 1920s and 1950s will be auctioned on May 9 with Derbyshire’s Hansons Auctioneers.

“Grandad was born in Plaistow, Newham, London, in 1891 and worked at Waterlow and Sons from the mid-1920s until he retired,” added Dianne.

“Our great grandfather, Augustus Fryer, was also a stamp engraver and our late father, Leonard Junior, worked in the printing industry.

“We never planned to part with the artwork but felt it deserves to be seen and appreciated rather than hidden away.

“We’d love it if just one of grandad’s stamps ended up in a museum - I’ve scanned every single item so we have the collection as a memory.”

The collection is currently being stored in a back vault in an undisclosed location.

Adrian Rathbone, associate director of Hansons said: “This is one of the most unusual art collections I’ve ever seen.

“It’s a unique archive which not only demonstrates Mr Fryer’s talent but shows the intricate lengths stamp designers went to, to create something many of us take for granted.

“Mr Fryer designed stamp designs mainly for Commonwealth countries but was also involved in the design process of some British commemorative stamps.

“Everything was painted to scale. Such was the detail on what are, in essence, mini masterpieces, he needed an eyeglass to do his work.”

The work is of such great importance, Hansons alerted The Royal Philatelic Society London, the oldest philatelic society in the world, which is supporting the cataloguing process.

Jim Spencer, Hansons paper expert said: “It’s wonderful to see how Mr Fryer painstakingly created his designs to scale – working within a tiny space which had to include a portrait of a monarch, a symbol of the nation and the price of the stamp.

“Competition was stiff and several designers were commissioned to create a stamp design, which then went before a postal administration panel.

“Everything was carefully assessed and amendments made before any stamp hit the printing presses.

“His tiny paintings display dazzling colour, ingenuity, flair and artistic talent -they paved the way to stamp designs adopted far and wide.”

The archive consists of original watercolour sketches of stamp designs created for numerous countries including Malta, Peru, Antigua, Southern Rhodesia, St Lucia, Brazil, Cyprus Jamaica, Nigeria and Ceylon.

Some designs were adopted or formed the basis of the final design for the stamp.

Mr Fryer created several stamps for the Cayman Islands including King George VI 1938 1 ½ d and 2d value stamps and a 1 ½d black and blue beach view design together with a violet stamp showing the king’s face and a map of the country.

In the same year, Mr Fryer created a bold red and orange illustration for Jamaica’s 3d and 1s stamps. His stamp designs for Jamaica referenced palm trees, bananas and the sugar industry as well as including a portrait of King George VI.

Stamps were first introduced in the UK on May 1, 1840 as a part of postal reforms promoted by Sir Rowland Hill, who invented the adhesive postage stamp.

The first issued stamp, Britain’s Penny Post, was released on May 6, 1840.

The Leonard Fryer Stamp and Bank Note Design Collection will be sold by Hansons Auctioneers at Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Staffordshire,

To find out more email jspencer@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk.