THIS outstanding Louise Rayner (1832-1924) watercolour, depicting the Butter Market at Ludlow, Shropshire, posted a new house record for Louis Taylor of Stoke-on-Trent at their latest sale.
Rayner, famous for capturing in meticulous detail the old-world
character of British towns and cities, lived for many years in
Chester but spent her summers travelling. She is known to have been
working in the Staffordshire and Shropshire area in 1865 when this
16 3/4 by 21in (42 x 53cm) work was probably painted.
Entered for the sale on December 7-8 by a local client who had
received a probate valuation of £7000, it lured eight interested
parties at its pre-sale estimate of £9000-£13,000.
One of the five telephone bidders, a private buyer from
Oxfordshire, prevailed at £37,000, a sum that surpassed the £32,000
the auctioneers achieved for a rare limited edition Royal Doulton
character jug of Stoke legend Stanley Matthews that sold for over
£32,200 earlier this decade.
According to Artnet, £37,000 represents an auction
record for Rayner, the previous high being The Old Houses -
Head of West Bow, sold by Lyon & Turnbull in January 2006
as part of the Drambuie Collection for £35,000.
The buyer's premium was 17.5 per cent.
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