An Old Master painting hung in the spare bedroom of a family home in Oxfordshire sold for a surprise £440,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Holloway’s of Banbury, writes Laura Chesters.
Catalogued simply as ‘19th century, Continental School St John the Evangelist and the poison chalice’, bidders on February 28 are thought to have deemed the work to be northern European, with an early to mid 17th century date and a possible connection to Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641).
Holloway’s furniture specialist James Lees admitted he was “slightly embarrassed” by the estimate of £400-600, although he noted it was two interested parties in the room that pushed the price into six figures, following early bidding from three phone lines.