The large oil was on the stand of Adrian Phippen Fine Art, a Totnes-based dealer, and was sold for £15,000. Hunt was a British painter of genre pieces and exhibited at the Royal Academy regularly between 1862 and1873. This painting, which measures 31 x 48in, was exhibited at the London Institution in 1846.
The first of three annual AfE fairs took place from April 6-9. Organisers reported a rise in Asian attendance buying across the board and strong sales in sculpture and porcelain as well as fine art.
“The appeal of the fair is continuing to spread especially among Asian collectors and this is resulting in good sales,” said fair director Mary Claire Boyd. “Many exhibitors also noted stronger trade buying than for some time.”
All the Fun of the Fair led painting sales at the event. Other exhibitors who saw good results in that field were John Sheppard from Hove who sold more than 12 English watercolours on the opening day and Blackbrook Gallery which sold a number of 19th century animal farm portraits.
The next AfE fair takes place from July 20-23.
