A letter written by Florence Nightingale and an early work by painter Jack Vettriano are among the top lots at an auction in Edinburgh.

Three Girls Bathing in the Sea was produced under Vettriano’s father’s name Hoggan and is expected to fetch a minimum of £4,000.

Auctioneers Shapes are expecting much interest in the work following speculation that the artist took some of his most figures from a drawing handbook.

Vettriano, one of the UK’s most popular contemporary painters, admitted using the illustrator’s guide as a tool for his work.

His most iconic painting, The Singing Butler, sold for £744,800 last year - a Scottish record.

Letters from the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, will also go under the hammer.

A business-like letter from Nightingale to the engineer Sir Robert Rawlinson, dates from January 1861 and outlines Sir Roberts’ designs for an infirmary, discussing ventilation, toilets and fire hazards.

Posted: 12|4|05 at 10:16 am. Filed under: UK News.