Banksy prints sell for £435,000 at Bonham's auction

'Rude Copper' and 'Flower Thrower' were among the prints sold at Bonham's

Jess Denham
Thursday 29 January 2015 18:06 GMT
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The collection of 30 Banksy prints at Bonhams auction house in London
The collection of 30 Banksy prints at Bonhams auction house in London

A collection of Banksy prints has fetched more than double its estimate at auction in London.

The 32 artworks sold at Bonhams for nearly £435,000, with almost all pieces perfoming better than expected.

“Rude Copper”, depicting a swearing policeman, did the best with a £32,500 sale. “Christ with Shopping Bags” was next, selling for £22,500, followed by “Flower Thrower” for £20,625 and “Laugh Now” and “Festival” at £20,000.

The original of 'Laugh Now' by Banksy

The prints previously belonged to art gallery owner Steve Lazarides and were sold in a “contemporary lifestyle” auction alongside pieces by Conor Harrington and Damien Hirst.

Harrington’s “Dance with the Devil” was the top lot, fetching £77,500 after being estimated at between £30,000 and £50,000.

The auction proved a huge success, fetching more than £1 million in total. A Bonhams spokesperson said the results were “a clear demonstration of Banksy’s importance as a figure at the heart of contemporary art with a thriving market and pan-global interest”.

Elusive Bristol graffiti artist Banksy always sells well at auction, as street art is particularly popular at the moment. Banksy keeps his identity and real name secret, despite many supposed ‘sightings’ of him and attempts at impersonation.

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