Mike Abbott studied at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic and at the Royal College of Art. His works in the Collection are assembled from components of embossed brass or nickel, sawn and moulded, then hand-painted with enamel. Moving elements, such as the Helibeattle blade, add to the complexity of the structure and the vitality of the pieces. These works have a fantastic or narrative content, occasionally topical or satirical: Estate Agentbrooch refers to the property boom in London in the 1980s.