This well-preserved 121/2in by 161/2in (35cm x 42cm) oil of a hunt by Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959) attracted considerable interest from both trade and private buyers at its £30,000-50,000 estimate. A local vendor had inherited the 1902 work from an aunt whose family were Munnings collectors.
A serious battle ensued between the UK trade on the telephone and a buyer in the front row taking instructions from a determined party on a mobile. The latter eventually made the winning bid at £235,000 (plus 15 per cent buyer's premium), beating the previous house high of £190,000 achieved for a pair of 18th century verre églomisé mirrors in September 2003.
Munnings hunt scene sets house record
It was a more traditional 20th century picture that established a new house record for Chichester auctioneers Stride & Son on April 27.