The Cat that Got the Cream

A few auction records were broken at our first Welsh Sale of 2023 on April 1st including a print by Sir Kyffin Williams realising £3000 and thus breaking our own auction record. But one price which perhaps stood out more than any other was the one on the Ewenny cat.

Ewenny cats are a stalwart of Welsh auctions, but never have they realised £2,800 or anywhere near. But this cat was rather special, sitting handsomely in its Royal blue coat, it even had a name with 'Morris' emblazoned on his chest. On the base, it read 'Gwae llygod - lle bo cath fawr' which translates as 'woe to mice, where there is a big cat'. This cat was in position to pounce!

However, the most charming characteristic of this lovely cat, was its pedigree. Provenance is far more important in the eyes of the collector these days, and this feline had a fine tale to tell. The cat was originally owned by the vendor's grandfather Dr Thomas Glynn Morris (Taid) who was a doctor for the Penrhyn Estate and the quarryworkers at the turn of the last century and earlier. So it seems that the cat had a surname on its chest. I wonder what his pet name will be? That will be up to the new owner who battled for the creature on the phone to a new auction record.

It was a fine auction purr-formance!