Paintings were “flying off the walls” at an unique sale of artwork owned by a member of the Highland aristocracy.
Cathryn, Lady Cawdor, decided to sell 200 framed pictures from her prized art collection at a special event to raise money for charities close to her heart.
And £5,000 was raised on the opening night alone.
The event was held at the Old Primary School in Cawdor’s Main Street, which the 85 year-old helped to paint prior to the start of the sale.
Lady Cathryn said that the charities, Marie Curie and Canine Partners, inspired her to come up with the idea.
She said: “I’m very keen on these two charities. At Canine Partners, dogs are trained to look after people in wheelchairs which is just amazing and a great friend of mine, Thomas Hughes-Hallett, used to be the head of Marie Curie and did so much work for them.
“I’ve managed to collect so many pictures over the years. I went to quite a lot of galleries and if I liked something and I could afford it, I bought it, took it home and hung it on the wall.”
The artwork on sale was an eclectic mix of prints, drawings, watercolours and oils, all dated from the 18th-20th centuries an part of Lady Cathryn’s private collection.
Celia Laidlaw helped to organise the sale. She said: “It has been just fantastic and so many pictures were just flying off the walls.
“There were massive queues at the sales desks and we got so many compliments about the event.
“Everything was locally done and we managed to transform the Old Primary School – which was lying empty for 10 years – into a gallery.
“We had enormous help from Denise Collins at the Castle Galleries who helped us hang the pictures and also helped us with the card machine.
“We also received so much help and support from other local people.”
Representatives from both charities also came along to the event, she added.
“Rebecca came along from Canine Partners with her dog and she spent a lot of time chatting to people..
“Also we received a lot of help from representatives of Marie Curie.
“I think Lady Cathryn is really pleased at how well the sale of her pictures has gone.”