However, two cows were stolen before the sale when thieves broke into their byre. The missing beasts are Harlequin Cow and Blue Moo – both are easily identifiable.
The charity art show is the brainchild of Swiss artists Walter and Pascal Knapp, and Cow Parades have already taken place in Zurich, Sydney, several cities in America, and as far away at Latvia and Uruguay.
This year’s event raised a total of £360,000, with much of the proceeds going to the ChildLine charity, whose chairman, Esther Rantzen OBE, was ebullient: “Staggering, unbelievable, glorious… it hit the bullseye!”
Three cows tied for the top price, of £11,000: Martha, resplendent in rainbow stripes, by Patrick Hughes, sponsored by Art for Offices; Patchwork Cow, with a hide like a colourful quilt, by Ruth Green, sponsored by Cards Inc; and Miss Mooney Penny, coated with 2p coins, by staff of Henderson Global Investors.
Michael Heseltine staked his claim on two prime fillets: Beefeater – It Ain’t Natural, in full Yeoman Warder uniform, by Steve Finlay, at £10,000 and Madame Lavache goes to Market, in straw hat, shawl and carrying a basket of fruit, by Terry Bell-Halliwell, at £9000.
The parade moves to Dublin next year. For details and the Internet sale, see www.cowparade.com.
Cattle market proves ‘bullish’
THERE were cows aplenty, but only one beef, at Sotheby’s Olympia on Thursday night, when 60 bovine belles did their bit for charity. The high-profile heifers, whom you may have seen grazing the streets of London through the summer, were the first tranche of the Cow Parade sale – another 90 are due to be offered soon on the Internet.
