Hunt for Hockney art treasures lets cat out of the bag

The piece is among a collection of work by the Bradford-born artist which will go under the hammer at Bonhams' dedicated Hockney sale in London on April 20.

The auctioneers hope to uncover further treasures in Yorkshire ahead of the sale.

Bonhams is mounting a campaign in the region to unearth paintings, prints and related objects by the artist.

The auctioneers will be offering free, confidential valuations by experts at Salts Mill, Saltaire, on February 19.

Bonhams will also be holding a general valuation, at the same time, for small works of art including jewellery, silver, ceramics, paintings, clocks and watches.

Tabitha Philpott-Kent, a specialist in Bonhams' print department, said the ceramic cat had attracted "quite a lot of interest".

"I think he would have made other things like that and may have sold things locally at the time for next to nothing," she added.

The Hockney auction on April 20 has already attracted the attention of sellers and buyers and features work from all periods of the artist's career.

Highlights so far include an iconic print of a Los Angeles swimming pool estimated to be worth between 15,000 and 20,000, one of Hockney's New Mexican lithographs of Hotel Acatlan estimated to fetch up to 50,000, as well as the ceramic cat which was made in 1955 when Hockney was a student at Bradford College of Art.

Many of the finest pieces from the auction will be previewed at Salts Mill in early April.

Salts Mill has one of the largest private collections of Hockney's work open to the public in the world.