Salvador Dali painting to headline Cheffins blockbuster Art & Design

A rediscovered painting by Salvador Dali will take centre stage at the blockbuster Art & Design Sale taking place at Cheffins in Cambridge on 23^rd and 24^th October. Featuring works by some of the biggest names in 20^th century art and sculpture, the Art & Design Sale features over 700 lots and will take place over two days rather than the usual one.

Vecchio Sultano, Salvador Dali 

The Salvador Dali work, titled ‘Vecchio Sultano’ was discovered in a Cambridge house clearance sale by a local collector and has a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 - £30,000. Measuring 38cm x 29cm, the painting is a mixed media piece, made with watercolour paint and felt tip, and is an illustration of a scene from The Arabian Nights, a series of 500 pieces which Dali intended to create of Middle Eastern folktales which was commissioned by wealthy Italian couple, Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto.

The Salvador Dali will be offered alongside works from other major names in 20^th century art, including; a piece titled ‘Woman with Pigeon’ by Pakistani artist Jamil Naqsh (1939 – 2019) which is set to sell for £20,000 - £30,000; a landscape by celebrated British artist Gary Bunt (1957 – 2025) which has an estimate of £15,000 - £20,000 and works by Keith Haring, Sir Terry Frost and John Bratby. Also, on offer are works from the Bloomsbury Group, including a landscape by Roger Fry (1866 – 1934) which is estimated at £4,000 - £6,000 and an important preparatory study for Berwick Church by Duncan Grant, which is set to sell for £1,000 - £1,500.

Provençal landscape, Roger Fry

Another important piece is a rare silver and glass wine decanter by Charles Robert Ashbee (1863 – 1942), one of only a few variants of this design known to exist with similar examples held by the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. It is estimated at £3,000 - £6,000 and is offered alongside a collection of other silver from some the last century’s leading craftsmen, including Gerald Benney, Brian Asquith and Robert Welch. In addition there are other collectors’ items from some of the leading lights of 20^th century sculpture, glass and ceramics, including works by the likes of Gio Ponti, Kate Malone, Clarice Cliff, John Maltby, Geoffrey Baxter, Allen Jones and David Goode. There is also a comprehensive furniture section, with pieces from the likes of Heals, Gordon Russell, Mark Reed and Shapland & Petter which vary from Arts & Crafts traditional pieces to modernist examples.

Martin Millard, Equity Director, Cheffins, says: “Probably the most comprehensive Art & Design Sale of the year, this auction features some of the biggest names in mid-century art and design, creating an eclectic auction for all tastes and budgets. The paintings section is particularly strong, and we forecast that the quality of works on offer from household names worldwide will bring a number of collectors to the sale. 20^th century furniture, artworks and ceramics are all experiencing buoyant markets as this period remains at the forefront of many collectors’ agendas. Buyers in these genres tend to be a mix of collectors, interior designers and dealers, all of whom are looking to capitalise on interest in items from throughout the 20^th century which increasingly appear to be very much a part of modern-day tastes. We are delighted to bring such an exceptional catalogue to the market for our last Art & Design Sale of 2025.”

To view the preview of the sale, please click here 

Auction: The Art & Design Sale, 23^rd and 24^th October 2025 
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA

For further information contact the Fine Art Department on 01223 213343, fine.art@cheffins.co.uk