An entertaining and highly topical group of tinted watercolours on offer at Amersham Auction Rooms on December 5, a week ahead of the big vote, reveals that a pugilistic theme was a hit with Evening Standard cartoonist JAK (Raymond Jackson) when covering the February 1974 General Election.
Estimated at £400-500 in a single lot, the 17 x 22in (43 x 56cm) political cartoons depict the then leading personalities involved in the forthcoming contest and the potential outcomes, shown as boxing matches.
One shows Harold Wilson as winner with gloved hands aloft, another has Ted Heath victorious and a third depicts Jeremy Thorpe triumphant. The fourth shows all three out for the count.
The cartoons offered at Amersham Auction Rooms relate to the February 1974 General Election with this one showing Harold Wilson as winner with gloved hands aloft.
Wilson proved triumphant in the real-life political battle – as the Evening Standard cartoon of March 1 shows with the caption Careful Harold – the real fight’s just beginning!
The images feature signatures and margin notes for the printers.
The 1974 election resulted in a hung parliament. Labour leader Wilson then formed a minority government.
