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A collection of bawdy sketches have been found in attic storage and will be sold to the highest bidder this month.

The preparatory pencil illustrations are by the late Donald McGill, the forefather of the cheeky postcard industry, and provided the basis for many of his designs.

The 18 drawings feature all manner of characters from big breasted young women to fat old ladies and gawping middle-aged men. 

Collection of drawings by the late Donald McGill discovered in attic and due to go on sale this month

His signature humour was risque double entendres, typical of the art work, and McGill became known for his astute power of social observation and artistic skill.

His cartoons, most often sold in seaside towns, pushed the boundaries of decency, shocked the establishment and he faced prosecution several times for breaking the Obscene Publication Act 1857.

(Left) 'Too busy to write, I'm having a smashing time' and (right) 'Can you come, Mrs Briggs - Muvver's just had triplets?'

The 18 preparatory pencil illustrations provided the basis for many of McGill's seaside postcard designs

McGill was one of the first artists to venture into the risque genre of saucy postcards in the early 20th century. 

A private collector owned the sketches for many years but has only recently dug them out of his loft and will put them up for sale at auction in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Examples include a drawing of a female gardener exposing her flush underwear as she bends over to tend to a flower in front of two men, with one of them praising her 'display of pinks'.

The man himself: Donald McGill became known for his astute power of social observation and artistic skill

(Left) 'Pardon me Miss - could you possibly turn SIDEWAYS!' and (right) 'Keeping cool at both ends'

Another shows a male lift operator instructing a young woman with a large chest to turn sideways so he can close the doors. 

And one particularly near-the-knuckle sketch shows a woman telling a misunderstanding butcher she would prefer a 'nice, fat cock.'

At the height of his fame he only earned three guineas a design, but today his original artwork can fetch thousands of pounds. These drawings are expected to sell for £150 each.

A private collector owned the sketches for many years but has only recently dug them out of his loft

McGill was one of the first artists to venture into the risque genre of postcards in the early 20th century

Philip Allwood, of auctioneers Moore Allen and Innocent, said: 'The work of Donald McGill will be familiar to anyone who has ever browsed the postcards at a British seaside resort.

'He was one of the first of this ilk and was producing work from the early to mid 20th century.

(Left) 'While you're in this department lass you'll be working under me!' and (right) 'Our George gets pleasure out of the SIMPLER THINGS Mrs Jones.'

McGill faced prosecution several times for breaking Obscene Publication Act 1857 with his cheeky drawings

'These appear to be preliminary sketches on which the colourful postcards were based.

'Each one is accompanied with a handwritten or typed pun-filled caption, and many are stamped to the rear 'Blackpool Postcard Censorship Board - Approved' and signed and dated by the censor.

'These jokes might make us groan now and appear nothing more than a bit of harmless fun but back in the 1950s they fell foul of strict morality laws.. '

The sale is due to take place 9 January.