Crufts 2006 will see another well stocked charity auction set to benefit the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Due to be held on Sunday March 12th. the event has been co-ordinated by Nick Waters and this year’s catalogue contains 322 lots with everything from paintings, prints, porcelain and books.

The catalogue cover shot features a George Krebs pastel and watercolour headstudy of the Crufts best in show in 1936 the Chow Chow Ch Choonam Hung Kwong. He has been the only Chow BIS at the show and was a breed record holder until the 1970s with a total of 44 CCs, this one of two Krebs chow pictures in the auction.

Labrador enthusiasts will be interested in a striking Reuben Ward Binks signed artist’s proof (lot 226) of a black dog retrieving a pheasant which twins with a similar lot of a spaniel flushing game.

Visitors to the continental shows will have seen the stand of the artist Moniek van de Wijt whose vivid oil paintings have had a strong following. It is therefore no surprise to see a study of two Deerhound heads (lot 196) listed as a first for this contemporary artist.

Canine books seem limited this year and it was interesting to note the absence of any KC Stud Books from this year’s event.

Add to the above a good smattering of bulldogania and some interesting contemporary prints and it is easy to see how the auction will have its customary wide appeal.