Businessman pays £2,300 for the sheet of Perspex used to protect Banksy's festive reindeer graffiti

By Phoebe Eckersley For Mailonline 16:45 20 Dec 2019, updated 16:50 20 Dec 2019

Comments

Comments

A businessman has paid £2,300 for a Perspex screen which was erected to protect a new Banksy reindeer mural from vandals.

The plastic sheet features two reindeer pulling a bench as a sleigh in a bid to highlight Britain's homelessness, in Birmingham.

Within hours of the work being unveiled in the Jewellery Quarter on December 9, the piece was defaced by a vandal who sprayed two red noses on the reindeer.

Network Rail then put up the Perspex cover to protect the mural from any further acts of vandalism.

Birmingham-based Fellows Auctioneers put the single sheet of Perspex up for sale once a more permanent cover was installed.

It smashed its estimate of between £100 and £150 when it went under the hammer and sold for £2,300 to a local business owner, earlier today.

And now the Perspex has been snapped up by Steve Tolley, co-owner of the Bullion Room, a precious metal and jewellery dealer, who beat off ten rival bidders during the online auction.

All proceeds will go to Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS), an organisation set up to help homeless people in need in the UK.

Mr Tolley said it is 'the perfect story to celebrate the opening of our new showroom'.

'It would have been a shame to have seen the Perspex sell to someone outside the Quarter and homelessness is a big issue around here, so it is good to give something back to the community.'

The screen, which contains paint marks from being vandalised, will be displayed in the Bullion Room for everyone to see.

It was auctioned alongside the bolts used to place it on Banksy's artwork.

Simon Evans, from Network Rail, said: 'We’re pleased to be able to sell this item, along with the story that goes with it, to raise money to help homeless people.

'Life is strange sometimes. Ordinarily a piece of Perspex is no big deal. But a piece of Perspex that has protected a Banksy - that is a big deal.'

Luke Crane, executive director of Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) added: 'This piece of art by Banksy is an early Christmas gift.'

Money raised from the original Perspex is to be donated to Midland Langar Seva Society.

Stephen Whittaker, Managing Director of Fellows Auctioneers is 'over the moon' as he hoped to make the most of selling the perspex by attracting a lot of interest amongst bidders.

Other contributions from local businesses including the auctioneers have increased the total sum raised to £3,000 for Midland Langar Seva Society.

Comments

Comments

Chris Kaba was one of London's most feared gangsters who shot rival at nightclub and had a history...

Body is found in search for missing mother Victoria Taylor, 34, last seen alive three weeks ago

Tragic Liam Payne 'never stopped loving Cheryl': Simon Cowell's brother says singer's death will be...

How Chris Kaba's family fought to gag the press and keep the truth about gang member's violent past...

Liam Payne's father given heartbreaking news 'he could be waiting 10 days' before 31-year-old's body...

Schoolgirl, 12, died at home in 'game gone wrong' as police rule out suspicious death

Cheers, Keir! Kidnapper sprawls across a Bentley, money launderer is picked up in a Lamborghini and...

Pictured: American pilot accused of kidnapping girl, nine, outside Harrods before drugging and...

Beckingham Palace... Miami! Grinning David Beckham inspects his new £60m waterfront mega-mansion as...

Met officer who shot Chris Kaba now has a '£10,000 bounty on his head': As gangster criminal past of...

Pictured: Four members of same family who lost their lives in horror M6 crash as surviving son...

I will never speak the name of the monster who killed my beautiful daughter: Mother of NHS worker...

Moment wealthy property manager drove Mercedes at her sister-in-law in Tesco car park after falling...

Disabled woman was banned from every ASDA in UK 'because she could not show her dog's service ID'

Inside the notorious '67 gang': Chris Kaba's Mobo-nominated drill rap 'criminal network' with links...

Met Police marksman Martyn Blake 'likely to face gross misconduct charges' for shooting dead Chris...