Sketches of a partially nude Sir Sean Connery sell at auction

A colelctoin of sketches of Sir Sean Connery posing nearly naked, drawn when he was an unknown art college model, have sold for nearly £1,000 - reports The Scotsman.

Hilary Buchanan, 69, a retired art teacher, drew them in 1953 when she was an 18-year-old student - and Connery was a milkman who earned extra money as a life model.



The sketches, for which he wore nothing but a loincloth, lay untouched in her attic for more than 50 years. But she dug them out after reading an article about the actor’s time at Edinburgh College of Art.

At Christie’s in London yesterday, a mystery bidder paid £956 for the seven pencil, pen, ink and wash studies.

Mrs Buchanan, of Gorebridge, Midlothian, was delighted with the sale but said she had a twinge of sadness that they had been sold.

She said: "It’s extraordinary - it really is. I never expected them to make that much.

It’s sad to see them go - I was fond of them. I think there was a personal element that all those years ago I was in the same room as him, reacting to his presence through drawing.

"But, then again, I had no use for them. I hoard everything and have hundreds of sketchbooks from all through my life.

"When I found these, I thought it would be interesting to do something with them and see if they would sell. I wasn’t going to put them on my wall - they would have just stayed in the attic for ever."

She added: "I haven’t even thought what I will spend the money on."

A spokesman for Christie’s said: "There is something quite appealing about the sketches. Although they are not that detailed, there is something about them that is distinctively him."

After reading the article about Connery’s modelling work and uncovering the sketches, Mrs Buchanan, who now teaches adult evening classes, said: "It was like a flashback and I went upstairs to the attic, looked out my old sketchbooks and there they were.

"I do remember this chap who was a model, but we never thought he’d be this famous person he is or imagine the heights he was to reach.

"I remember his jet black hair and his dark eyebrows more than his body, even though that was spectacular. Even then, he had presence - a very solid presence."

Months after Mrs Buchanan did the sketches, Connery took the first step on his path to fame. He entered the Mr Universe contest in 1953 and came third. At the competition, he caught the eye of talent scouts who asked him to audition for a new musical, South Pacific. He landed a part in the chorus line, which helped launch his acting career. Less than ten years later, he became 007 in the first James Bond film, Dr No.

Thanks to `Kyvan` for the alert.

Discuss this news here...