Beryl Cook painting doubles guide price at Clevedon Salerooms

A Beryl Cook painting sold for twice its pre auction guide price at Clevedon Salerooms this week.

The picture called Applause and showing flutist Sir James Galway receiving rapturous audience appreciation at a Plymouth concert was expected to fetch between £12-18,000.

But a bidding war put the price up to £30,400.

Auctioneer Toby Pinn said: "A bidding battle between a Cornish private collector and a local private collector saw the pre-sale estimate of £12,000 - £18,000 eclipsed.  

"The Cheshire based vendor of the picture  who had selected Clevedon Salerooms to sell the work was absolutely thrilled with the result. 

"In the last couple of years Clevedon Salerooms have had more success with original Beryl Cook works than any other auction house in the UK."

The late Beryl Cook is best known for her original and instantly recognisable paintings of people enjoying themselves in pubs, girls shopping or out on a hen night.

Her comical subject matter has included drag shows, a family picnicking by the seaside or abroad,  tangoing in Buenos Aires and gambling in Las Vegas.[

The artist who died aged 82 in 2008 had no formal training and did not take up painting until middle age.

The owner of the painting sourced the Clevedon auction room on the internet when looking for a sales outlet noted for getting the best prices for Beryl Cook's work.

Clevedon Salerooms has an enviable record selling Beryl Cook works thanks to fine art consultant Sheena Stoddard, a former art curator at Bristol City Gallery who put on the Beryl Cook exhibition Larger Than Life in 2011.  

In November 2011 another Beryl Cook original sold for twice its estimated value at the Kenn Road auction.

The picture called Brian Entertains sold for £24,500.

The catalogue put a valued on the lot of between £8-12,000.

Brian Entertains was signed and included the original receipt from the Alexander Gallery, dated 1978 and a copy of a book Beryl Cook, The Works, which features the painting and an explanation by the painter regarding the inspiration behind it.