This headstone design, below, of a female nude by the controversial sculptor Eric Gill (1882-1940) was deemed too risky to be realised when he designed it in 1933.
The inscription in Gill’s famous typeface on the headstone states the grave commission was intended for an Alice Jameson. Executed in pencil and watercolour on 15 x 10in (38 x 26cm) paper, it came to auction with old gallery labels to the verso and annotated with the artist’s address at Pigotts in High Wycombe. Offered for sale at Lacy Scott & Knight (20% buyer’s premium) in Bury St Edmunds on March 22, it sold for £7200 against a £1500-2500 estimate.