Victorian sketches withdrawn from sale in Led Zeppelin ‘dispute’

Four sketches by a famous Victorian artist found tucked inside some Led Zeppelin records were withdrawn from sale by a Somerset woman after it emerged they may belong to the band’s guitarist Jimmy Page.

The pictures, by Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais, were due to be sold on Saturday at Chilcotts Auctioneers in Devon.

They were found inside records owned by Rick Hobbs, who worked for Mr Page and the band for many years before his death in January.

Sue Cook, who cared for Mr Hobbs before his death, put them up for auction but withdrew them after contact from the band’s representatives, a spokesman for the auction house said.

Elizabeth Chilcott said: “The band is not accusing the man of having stolen them. It’s just a dispute over ownership. These were withdrawn because the vendor was in discussion with Led Zeppelin.” The sketches, which were made when Mr Millais was 14, were expected to fetch around £4,000.

Ms Cook, 46, said Mr Hobbs worked as Mr Page’s “right-hand man”.

She told The Times: “He was his valet, PA and chauffeur because Jimmy never learned to drive. Even in his 70s, Rick would get a phone call, jump in his car and drive up to London to sort something out for him.”

Led Zeppelin was formed out of the ashes of 1960s blues band The Yardbirds and became international stars in the 1970s.

Mr Page is a well-known art enthusiast. In 1972, he bought a London home designed by Victorian artist and architect William Burges.