Auction of Paintings

Artist Mick Dean has generously donated two oil paintings to raise funds for Medway Queen. The paintings are mounted in impressive aluminium frames measuring around 46 inches across and both Mick and the Medway Queen Preservation Society are keen to raise as much cash as possible towards the next stage of Medway Queen’s restoration. The paintings show the ship in Bristol when she was being rebuilt in the project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and each will be accompanied by signed copies of the preservation society’s book; “Medway Queen – Rebuilding the Hull”, which describes the rebuild in great detail with many photographs taken at all stages of the project.
 
One painting depicts a paddle wheel prior to dismantling and rebuilding. The paddle wheels were badly corroded and distorted and had to be rebuilt around the original hubs and shafts in the workshops at the Albion Dockyard. An atmospheric image that captures the dirt and corrosion accumulated over many years. The other shows an early stage of the hull assembly in the Albion Dry Dock. An optimistic note from that stage of the hull rebuild. The structure of the ship is evident with keel and ribs clearly visible, hull plating is in progress mid-ships and an “iron hand” rivetting machine at work just forward of the engine room.
 
The pictures will appeal to anyone with a connection to or interest in ships or ship building and perhaps especially to those who were able to visit the dry dock while Medway Queen was being rebuilt. We have arranged with Bristol Auction Rooms (www.bristolauctionrooms.co.uk) to sell Mick’s paintings and the auction will now take place in Bristol on 26th April 2018. Details of the lots will be posted on the auction rooms’ website www.bristolauctionrooms.co.uk shortly beforehand. If you cannot attend in person the auction rooms will accept telephone, commission and online bids as well. Contact them for details at The Old Brewery, Baynton Road, Ashton, Bristol BS3 2EB. Phone 0117 953 1603 or email [email protected]. Fitting out Medway Queen will cost almost as much as the hull rebuild so please dig deep and support us while acquiring a unique souvenir of this milestone in ship restoration. 

Auction Details

Help us to outstrip the auctioneer’s estimate!