AN incredible collection of Joan de Bethel Rye Pottery Cats are to be sold by Lawrences of Crewkerne.

Joan and David de Bethel originally made handmade models of cats from papier mache from the 1960s.

Later after David’s death pottery cats were produced in conjunction with Rye Pottery which were then painted and decorated.

Collected by a man in Somerset, the sale includes more than 70 pottery cats made by Joan de Bethel from the 1980s onwards.

The sale also includes a rare signed collage picture and articulated lady.

Lawrences auctioneer Simon Jones said: "This is the largest collection I have seen in auction.

"The vendor became a friend of Joan and bought them on a regular basis – many of them are still with the original boxes they were posted in."

These will be included in the April Fine Art Sale in a variety of lots, with estimates from £60 to £300.

For further details visit lawrences.co.uk