A previously unknown collection of pen and ink drawings by artist Eric Ravilious, created in 1930, has come to light more than four decades after being salvaged from a refuse skip. The drawings were originally commissioned by London’s bus authorities as advertisements for leisure trips and represent a rare example of Ravilious’s work in this medium.

At the time of the commission, Ravilious was a relatively obscure artist, earning 10 guineas—approximately £10 then, or around £900 in today’s money—for a set of 15 drawings. His reputation grew significantly during the 1930s, culminating in his role as a war artist during World War II. Ravilious died in 1942 at age 39 after his plane disappeared during a search and rescue mission in Iceland, making him the first British war artist to perish in the conflict.

The drawings had been retained by Curwen Press, the printing firm responsible for the commission, but were discarded when the company went into liquidation in 1984. Ken Godfrey, a compositor employed by Curwen Press, rescued these artworks along with others by fellow artist Edward Bawden from the skip. Godfrey preserved the drawings until his death in 2014. They were subsequently discovered in a “grubby brown folder” by his family in the attic of his home.

These rediscovered drawings are set to be featured in a forthcoming publication titled *All Aboard the General Bus!*, which will be released next month by Mainstone Press. Art historian Alan Powers, who contributed an essay to the book, noted that the drawings include many motifs typical of Ravilious’s style—such as footballers, a batsman who may be a self-portrait, courting couples, Tudor monarchs, and a distinctive greenhouse view that serves as a signature confirmation of authorship.

Despite a decline in recognition following his death, Ravilious’s work remained visible in the sporting world through his wood engraving of two Victorian gentlemen playing cricket, which appeared on the cover of the *Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack* for 65 years. Interest in his broader oeuvre was revived by a 2003 exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, followed by a 2015 show at Dulwich Picture Gallery, which generated renewed attention.

Ravilious is known for his watercolours, with approximately 250 surviving examples that can fetch prices exceeding £200,000 at auction. Many of his works, however, particularly those from his final days, are believed to have been lost. While he produced numerous woodcuts and lithographs, pen and ink drawings by Ravilious are considered rare, making this recent discovery a significant addition to the understanding of his artistic legacy.