A rare painting of Colchester High Street has been donated to the town's museums.
The oil-on-canvas scene captures the town's main thoroughfare when it was still a two-way street.
Painted by artist Charles Debenham in the 1950s, it features a section of the street by the town hall looking up towards the water tower Jumbo.
It was bought by The Friends of Colchester Museums at auction.
Secretary Patrick Denney said: "It shows the High Street shortly before it became one-way and contains old-fashioned cars and buses."
The friends picked up the painting at an auction held by Reeman Dansie Howe for £600.
Mr Denney believes it is a bargain because he says not many paintings exist of Colchester during that era.
The painting, simply entitled High Street, was presented to Colchester Museum Services by the Friends at Colchester Castle Museum.
Artist Charles Debenham, 69, of Old House Road, Great Horkesley, was at the meeting.
He said: "It's nice to see something I painted again which I haven't seen for such a long time."
Published Monday, January 27, 2003
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