A RARE painting which was discovered in the home of late Glasgow arts patron Dr Helen Cargill Thompson has reached almost four times as much as it was expected to at auction.
The John William Godward 'Poppies' painting was estimated to fetch between £100,000 to £150,000 at auction.
However, when it went under the hammer at auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull yesterday it saw bidding rise and was eventually sold to a private collector for £447,000.
Dr Cargill Thompson died last October and left her house and furniture to the National Trust for Scotland while some of her belongings were to be auctioned off to go towards an endowment fund at the University of Strathclyde.
Read more: Painting found at Glasgow home of Dr Helen Cargill Thompson could fetch six figure sum at auction
As the painting had not been in circulation for some time, experts said it was difficult to give a precise value, but it drew much interest at auction. Godward's style saw him grouped with the Pre-Raphaelites.
Nick Curnow, Lyon & Turnbull vice chairman, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the result for John William Godward’s ‘Poppies,’ with pre-sale interest and international phone bidding competition getting us to a final result of £447,000. It is an exquisite painting and has been much admired since it initially came in for sale. Godward’s approach may have fallen out of favour in his lifetime but this level of quality and beauty endures, as demonstrated by the result achieved today. In very good condition, we are pleased it has found a new home with a U.K.-based private buyer."
John William Godward painting sold for £447,000 at auction
Dr Cargill Thomson, worked at the Andersonian Library at Strathclyde University and was head of the library’s new Reference and Information Division, left a treasure trove of contemporary art, books and silver in her family home in the West End of Glasgow.
Her vast collections of contemporary art has been auctioned off all with the intent of continuing her legacy of helping future generations.
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