How much did the original sketches for Birmingham's bronze bull sell for?

The original sketches for Birmingham's bronze bull sold for £2,600 plus fees at auction.

Where were the sketches for 'The Guardian' sculpture discovered?

The sketches for 'The Guardian' sculpture were discovered in the home of the late sculptor Laurence Broderick.

When was the bronze bull statue erected in Birmingham?

The bronze bull statue, officially titled The Guardian, was erected in 2003.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Sculptor's Bull Sketches Fetch £2,600

Sculptor's Bull Sketches Fetch £2,600

7 Mar

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Summary

Original sketches for Birmingham's bronze bull sold at auction.
Sketches discovered in sculptor Laurence Broderick's home.
A signed drawing indicated the chosen design for the statue.

Working sketches for Birmingham's prominent bronze bull sculpture, titled "The Guardian," have been successfully sold at auction. The collection of 14 signed drawings, discovered in the Cambridgeshire home of the late sculptor Laurence Broderick, fetched £2,600 plus fees. These sketches were found in a portfolio pulled from under a bed by auctioneers.

One drawing features a note from Broderick stating, "14th drawing and it was the drawing I decided to make," confirming it as the basis for the final 4.5m statue. This artwork was erected in 2003 outside the Bullring shopping centre.

The lot, offered by the family of Broderick's late wife, Ingrid Christa Broderick, also included 34 photographs of the maquette, a smaller-scale model. The auction occurred in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Broderick, who passed away in 2024 at 88, considered the bull a "gateway emblem for Birmingham."

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