Three original works by Banksy – including two pieces that were saved from destruction – are set to go under the hammer in a landmark sale at Hansons Auctioneers this summer.
Among them is Cloud DJ (1999), a rare early piece by the elusive street artist, which was rescued from being thrown out when a shop in Bath was being cleared. Another, Two Rats with Saw (2003), was similarly spared from the scrap heap. Both pieces have since gone on to tour the world and will now be offered for public sale for the first time.
The three works have been consigned by leading street art collector and Banksy authority John Brandler, who famously owns Seasons Greetings, the only known Banksy artwork to have inspired a full-length play: Port Talbot Gotta Banksy.
John Brandler comments “Banksy is the only artist I know of whose single painting inspired a stage production,” said Brandler. “It shows the cultural weight his work carries – and these three pieces are no exception. They very nearly disappeared forever. Instead, they’re now part of modern art history.”
The Works
Cloud DJ (1999)
One of Banksy’s earliest known wall paintings, created during a two-week commission in the hallway of a shop on Walcot Street, Bath. This now-iconic work was moments away from being discarded – it was salvaged from a door panel just before being dumped.
- Medium: Spray paint on plywood
- Dimensions: 72 x 74 cm
- Estimate: £350,000–£450,000
- Provenance: Includes photographs of original placement, Pest Control correspondence, and references in key Banksy publications and exhibitions.
Family Target (2003)
A powerful spray paint on canvas work showing Banksy’s signature themes of family, violence and social critique.
- Medium: Spray paint on canvas
- Dimensions: 91.5 x 91.5 cm
- Estimate: £350,000–£450,000
- Provenance: Artificial Gallery, Brandler Galleries, and featured in Banksy – A Visual Protest, Rome.
Two Rats with Saw (2003)
Featuring Banksy’s iconic rats, this subversive piece was also at risk of being lost before being recovered and preserved.
- Medium: Spray paint on plywood
- Dimensions: 62 x 50 cm
- Estimate: £145,000–£165,000
- Provenance: Brandler Galleries. Listed in A Catalogue Raisonné of Banksy’s Street Art by Richard Hessink, page 265, #361.
All three pieces boast exceptional exhibition history, having featured in major global exhibitions from Rome and Palermo to New York’s Bowery and Broadway between 2019 and 2023.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said:
“These are more than artworks – they are survivors, cultural landmarks, and provocations all rolled into one. We’re proud to be offering them to a global audience. Banksy’s work continues to hold a mirror up to society in a way that’s both playful and powerful – and collectors have responded to that message in extraordinary ways.”
Banksy, born in 1974, is the anonymous British artist and political activist known for his stencil-based street art. Often laced with satire and social commentary, his work has appeared on buildings, bridges and public spaces worldwide – sparking debate and reshaping the art world.
These three important works will be sold as part of Hansons Auctioneers’ 20th Century, Modern Art & Design Auction on June 13th at Hansons Auctioneers Derbyshire saleroom in Etwall, with bidding available worldwide online and in person.
Auction: Derby June 20th Century Modern Art & Design Auction
Auction date: 13th June 2025 | 9.30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
