Bid for a Bunny - as Peter Rabbit Sculptures Go Up For Auction
Businesses, book lovers and fans of Peter Rabbit will be able to bid for a bunny, when 40 sculptures of the children’s favourite go under the hammer this autumn (October).
Since July, 96 sculptures of Beatrix Potter’s famous creation have formed a Peter Rabbit™: Tales on the Tyne public art trail across Newcastle and North Tyneside, to raise awareness of St Oswald’s Hospice.
Created to mark the Hospice’s 40th anniversary celebrations and the 160th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birth – the nine-week trail will draw to a close on Monday 14 September.
And on Tuesday 13 October, 40 items will go under the hammer at a special auction, to raise much needed funds for the Hospice – with advance bids now being accepted for anyone hoping to secure a sculpture.
The auction will take place at Newcastle Civic Centre and bidding is expected to be fierce as Peter Rabbit™: Tales on the Tyne – the Hospice’s fourth major art trail – looks to be its most successful yet.
The lots up for auction include large and medium sized sculptures – not all of which featured on the trail - along with a Snowdog sculpture, in tribute to the Hospice’s Great North Snowdogs event in 2016 and one of two special, book bench-themed sculptures.
Each has been individually decorated by artists from across the region and beyond, with Peter in the Garden, by Emma Bridgewater Ltd, expected to be one of the auction’s stars.
Inspired by the traditional spongeware pattern that decorates the pottery maker’s latest collection, it features four little rabbits - Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter - amongst sweet geraniums and radishes.
Commissioned to celebrate 40 years of care at St Oswald's Hospice, Ruby Rabbit by Natalie Radcliffe, has wowed visitors to the trail, as has Bunny Bank, which is entirely covered in real coins.
Many of the sculptures also feature strong North East themes, from The Great North Bun - a tribute to the famous half marathon - and Once Upon A Tyne, to Walk The Map – a homage to Newcastle - and When The Boat Comes In.
And Steph Edusei, Chief Executive of St Oswald’s Hospice, hopes buyers will dig deep to help raise much-needed funds.
“Not only are these sculptures beautiful and thought provoking but, through the auction, they will help us provide our care and support free of charge to those who need it most,” she said.
“We urge anyone who has enjoyed the trail, who is a Beatrix Potter fan, a fan of the North East or simply wants to help us, to place a bid – so we can be here for them if they ever need us.”
Peter Rabbit™: Tales on the Tyne is held in conjunction with creative producers Wild in Art, along with The World of Peter Rabbit™, Headline Trail Partner Newcastle City Council, Trail Partner North Tyneside Council, Learning Programme Partner Northumbrian Water and Community Partner North Standard.
At the end of the trail, all sculptures will come together for a final celebration weekend from 10–11 October, offering visitors one last opportunity to see them in one place before they are auctioned.
The auction catalogue can be viewed at www.talesonthetyne.co.uk/auction and tickets for both the celebration weekend and the auction are now available at: www.talesonthetyne.co.uk/events. For those who can’t attend in person, there is an option to register and bid online.
