Lloyd’s of London Sold

24 July, 2007

Willard Wigan’s latest microsculpture, ‘Lloyd’s of London on a Pin Head’, has been sold today at a private auction to a former Lloyd’s underwriter for £94,000, with proceeds from the sale going to both the Prince’s Trust and the Dyslexia Association.

The iconic building was meticulously crafted from white gold and is no larger than a granule of sugar. Sitting on the head of a pin, the piece can only be seen when viewed through a microscope, and has been sold in a custom built display case incorporating viewing lenses.

David Lloyd, who recently bought Willard’s full collection for The David Lloyd Gallery, and hosted the auction, said: “The auction today was beyond all of our expectations and I’m delighted that Willard’s amazing art is being acknowledged and appreciated in this way. We’re now able to put the proceeds towards two fantastic charities.”

Eric Knowles, who conducted the auction, said: “This was a really exciting event to be a part of. I’ve never auctioned anything so miniscule before – it’s quite beyond comprehension! But Willard’s work is astounding and I’m really pleased to have been involved, and to have helped to raise funds for such worthwhile causes.”

Willard Wigan said: “The pressure I put on my body to create my work is something I can’t describe, but when someone sees my work, and loves it enough to want to buy it and display it with pride, it makes it all worth it.

“I’ve been able to overcome many obstacles, and I hope this inspires people to realise their own potential. This is just the start for me – I’m going to go even smaller!”

Word Doc Lloyd’s of London Sold (39kb)