Auction of painting fails to strike oil

An early oil painting by the celebrated Dundee-born artist James McIntosh Patrick has been sold at an auction .

The piece, entitled View from Rait – referring to a location in Perthshire – had a guide price of £15,000 to £20,000 before the sale at Taylors Auctions in Montrose.

Despite widespread interest in the painting, and around 1,500 registered bidders, the hammer went down at just over £15,000.

However, a further 100 lots that were sold in aid of Aberdeen-based charity Archway Respite Care exceeded all expectations and raised almost £13,000.

Jonathan Taylor, who handled the sales, said: “The McIntosh Patrick was a fairly early example of his work, and that may explain why it did not achieve a higher price, but on the other hand, there are also other contemporary Scottish artists that are attracting the eye of art lovers and investors in today’s marketplace.

“Overall, the sale went very well, and of course we are delighted that the items sold for Archway Respite Care did so well and raised so much money.

“We did not charge any commission for these items, so all the money raised at the auction will go straight to the charity.

“The charity also ran a coffee morning on the day, which provided another substantial boost for their important work.