Fancy yourself as an ‘otter-spotter’?

17 September 2021 A timed auction is taking place where a large group of otter sculptures made by a variety of artists are being offered to raise funds for vital conservation and access projects in Dartmoor National Park.

‘Off to The Butterfly Ball’ by Jenny Pymont – offered at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction with an opening price of £500.

The auction at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood is in association with the Moor Otters Arts Trail.

Throughout the summer 81 figures of otters (with cubs) can be found standing tall on plinths at businesses, community groups and in public areas across Dartmoor.

People young and old have been tracking them down courtesy of four arts trails across the National Park. There is also a Mayflower trail in Plymouth and several otters can be found in gateway towns and villages.

All of the sculptures have been designed and decorated by local and national artists, and now 56 of their number are offered at the BHL timed auction which closes on October 1. The other 25 ‘Golden Otters’ have been selected by a panel of judges as being particularly stunning and are being sold at BHL’s live auction on October 2 (although bids can be placed in advance of the sale).

Here is our pick of five of the otters looking to be adopted and given a new home.

1. Off to The Butterfly Ball

This otter, pictured above, has been named by the artist Jenny Pymont after the title of one of her favourite books as a child: Off to The Butterfly Ball.

Butterflies feature regularly in her work and this sculpture features Marsh Fritillaries which are considered an endangered species. The otters are adorned in the Dartmoor ferns.

Off to The Butterfly Ball is one of the ‘Golden Otters’ being offered at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood on October 2.

To bid for this otter, view the catalogue entry for Off to The Butterfly Ball on thesaleroom.com.

2. Seemoor and Ginger

‘Seemoor and Ginger’ by Helen Meyer – offered at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction with an opening price of £200.

This otter is by Helen Meyer, a craftswoman who trained as botanical artist and who creates works in a variety of mediums including prints, paper cutting and embroidery.

She has lived in Dartmoor for 15 years and works at Haytor Visitor Centre for Dartmoor National Park as an information advisor. “Ginger just had to be a ranger as they are so important in looking after the moor.”

It is offered at the timed sale at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood which closes on October 1.

To bid for this otter, view the catalogue entry for Seemoor and Ginger on thesaleroom.com.

3. Ottmossphere

‘Ottmossphere’ by Ann Montgomery – offered at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction with an opening price of £500.

This otter sculpture by Ann Montgomery depicts the figures clothed in mosses – one of the unsung heroes in the battle against climate change (sphagnum mosses are thought to capture and store more carbon than any other land plant).

The mosses modelled here can all be found on Dartmoor and you can also find some cheeky favourite local beetles roaming in the mossy landscape, dung beetles and the spectacular but rare blue ground beetle which lives mainly in the mossy ancient forests of Dartmoor.

It is one of the ‘Golden Otters’ being offered at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood on October 2.

To bid for this otter, view the catalogue entry for Ottmossphere on thesaleroom.com.

4. Salmon Run

‘Salmon Run’ by Anne-Marie Byrne – offered at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction with an opening price of £500.

These otters by Anne-Marie Byrne are inspired by Dartmoor's sparkling clean rivers that provide a special habitat for some of the park’s most characteristic species.

Every year, mature salmon can be seen migrating upriver to spawn and here colourful salmon dodge a hunting otter as they fight their way upstream.

Anne-Marie is a Liverpool-born, Suffolk based artist who has painted for many public art charity trails across the UK, including a Sherlock Holmes themed otter for the previous Moor Otters trail.

Salmon Run is one of the ‘Golden Otters’ being offered at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood on October 2.

To bid for this otter, view the catalogue entry for Salmon Run on thesaleroom.com.

5. Stan and Harry

‘Stan and Harry’ by Ann L. Roe (Jones) – offered at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction with an opening price of £500.

These otters by Ann L. Roe (Jones) represent two Dartmoor tin miners. The title Stan and Harry is a play on the word 'Stannary' from 'Stanum', the Latin word for tin. Among the local areas where refined tin was assessed, coined and sold since Edward I’s 'Stannary Charter' in the 1300s are the towns of Tavistock, Ashburton, Chagford and Plympton.

The tin hat, lit candle, pasties, waterwheel and hand tool all illustrate different aspects of the lives of the Dartmoor tin miners and their families.