The final pre-Christmas sale of fine art and antiques, at the Clarke & Simpson auction centre on Wednesday December 5, features an amazing Suffolk art collection.

Ipswich Star: Paintings by Ipswich artist Leonard SquirrellPaintings by Ipswich artist Leonard Squirrell (Image: Archant)

Included in this final sale of the year will be a unique and extensive collection of more than 200 pictures from the Estate of the Late David Heckels.

Mr Heckels was a well-known Ipswich solicitor who became an enthusiastic collector of art.

His truly eclectic taste is represented in this collection with traditional drawings and watercolours from the likes of Thomas Rowlandson, Edward Lear, Walter Sickert, and John Leech, through to 20th century works by Mary Potter, John Nash, Dame Laura Knight, Thomas Barclay Hennell, Margaret Mellis and many more.

Not surprisingly there is a strong Suffolk theme running through the collection with works by Thomas Churchyard, Leonard Russell Squirrell, Edwin Pococke, John Moore and George Frost – many depicting very local scenes.

Ipswich Star: Cartoon art by Donald McGill in Clarke & Simpson auctionCartoon art by Donald McGill in Clarke & Simpson auction (Image: Archant)

Rather poignantly in this year which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War there are also numerous examples of First World War battle scenes, studies of soldiers and some of war-ravaged French towns.

There is humour too with caricatures by the likes of Bruce Bairnsfather and Donald Fraser McGill, who has become synonymous with the saucy postcard era.

As well as this superb collection of pictures there are another 500 odd lots in the sale from multiple vendors which will include ceramics, silver, jewellery, collectables and furniture.

The auction is on view Saturday December 1, 9am – 12noon,

Ipswich Star: A farm workers scene, by Thomas Barclay HennellA farm workers scene, by Thomas Barclay Hennell (Image: Archant)

Monday Deceber 3, from 2pm – 7pm, and Tuesday December 4 from 10am – 4pm, and also on the morning of the sale from 8.30am.

The auction starts at 10am, but for those unable to attend there will be online bidding via the-saleroom.com which has a link from www.clarkeandsimpson.co.uk