Artwork of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang invention sells at auction

An original artwork of one of the whimsical inventions in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has sold for £3,500 at auction.

The illustration by the late artist Rowland Emett depicts a dog grooming invention, titled The Potts Cruft-de-Luxe Dog Tidy, which featured in the beloved film.

Emett’s annotations explaining how each part of the invention works also accompanies the ink and pencil work, which surpassed its pre-sale estimate of £2,500-£3,000.

It was among a collection of items from the film which went under the hammer during a sale on Saturday held by Excalibur Auctions.

An unpublished print by Emett of the Grandpa Potts hut taken from the original sketch artwork for the film sold for £175 against an estimate of £60-£80.

While a rare child’s pedal car based on the famous flying vehicle and made by Pines factory went for £1,625 at auction against an estimate of £1,000-£1,500.

A full-size wood, glass and metal model of the levitating hut, which serves as a backdrop to Grandpa Potts’ song Posh, was one of the auction’s most highly valued items at an estimate of £3,500-£4,500 – but it went unsold.

A number of other collectables were sold including an original black and white still from the 1968 film signed by its leading stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Heather Ripley and Adrian Hall.

It sold for £380 with an estimate of £100-£150.

Jonathan Torode, from Excalibur Auctions, said: “We are delighted to have been able to offer such a special private collection of items that came from a direct source of the iconic film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

“The owner of the collection amassed it over many years, purely out of a passion for the film and his involvement in it.

“Today saw the top lots in high demand, which is proof of the film’s enduring popularity.”