Bomb Hugger", Modern British School, spray paint on cardboard, 48cm x 55cm, produced for and handed out at the 2003 Anti-Iraq War March. Sold for £1800. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)
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A pair of early Banksy works protesting the Iraq War have sold for nearly £2,000 each.
The spray-painted prints, titled ‘Bomb Hugger’ and ‘Yellow Chopper’ were created for a march in London.
Both spray-painted on cardboard placards, they showed anti-war messages including a child hugging a bomb with the word ‘No’ in red writing across the bottom.
Another showed three helicopters, one with a yellow bow on, and reads: ‘Wrong War’.
They both fetched £1,800 at auction in Eastbourne, East Sussex, on Thursday, (26 Feb).
Yellow Chopper, Wrong War, Modern British School, spray paint stencil on cardboard, 72cm x 74cm, produced for and handed out at the 2003 Anti-Iraq War march. Sold for £1800. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)
Ahead of the sale, Jeannette May, senior valuer with Eastbourne Auctions, said the prints were quite rare, as reported by What’s The Jam.
She said: “These are of the time when Banksy was really new and wasn’t as known as he is today.
“It was a highly charged time and these were topical at that time.
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“We can’t say how many of these were actually produced but they are quite rare as a lot were destroyed or taken off protesters by police.”
Between one and two million people protesters are believed to have marched in London on 15 February 2003 in protest of the Iraq War.
A patinated bronze study of a girl with red heart shaped balloon, raised on a black marble base, 38cm high. Sold for £100. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)
Letters from Pest Office, which authenticates Banksy works, said that it does not authenticate street pieces and that it would not authenticate the works as they were not created for sale.
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Banksy first began spray-painting works around Bristol in the early 90s.
He first became famous for works including the ‘Kissing Coppers’ on the side of a Brighton pub and ‘Love is in the Bin’, which was partially shredded.
Bomb Hugger, a limited edition ‘The West Country’ print, 189/500, unframed, 70cm x 50cm. Sold for £130. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)Yellow Chopper, Wrong War, Modern British School, spray paint stencil on cardboard, 72cm x 74cm, produced for and handed out at the 2003 Anti-Iraq War march. Sold for £1800. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)Bomb Hugger”, Modern British School, spray paint on cardboard, 48cm x 55cm, produced for and handed out at the 2003 Anti-Iraq War March. Sold for £1800. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)A patinated bronze study of a girl with red heart shaped balloon, raised on a black marble base, 38cm high. Sold for £100. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)A patinated bronze study of a girl with red heart shaped balloon, raised on a black marble base, 38cm high. Sold for £100. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)A patinated bronze study of The Flower Thrower raised on a black marble base, 26cm high. Sold for £80. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)A patinated bronze study of The Flower Thrower raised on a black marble base, 26cm high. Sold for £80. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)Bomb Hugger, a limited edition ‘The West Country’ print, 189/500, unframed, 70cm x 50cm. Sold for £130. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)Bomb Hugger, a limited edition ‘The West Country’ print, 189/500, unframed, 70cm x 50cm. Sold for £130. (Jam Press/Eastbourne Auction)
