IT WAS almost an Oscar- winning moment when a painting by an East Yorkshire artist came under the auctioneer's hammer.
The bidding drama for a picture with royal connections unfolded during a fine arts auction at a Driffield salesroom.
Those who have seen the Oscar-nominated The King's Speech will know all about the death of King George V.
So there could not have been a better time for the 1936 oil painting of the king, by celebrated Beverley artist Fred Elwell, to be offered for sale.
And with an estimated price of �15,000 on the colourful canvas, the auction was always going to attract a great deal of attention.
Excitement mounted when lot 513 finally came under the spotlight in the packed Exchange Saleroom run by Dee Atkinson And Harrison.
The bidding started at a modest �5,000 and went up in increments of �500 and �1,000 before being knocked down for �18,000 to a Yorkshire-based telephone bidder.
Pippa Whiteley, saleroom manager, said: "It was quite fortuitous that the film The King's Speech was released when the painting was put up for sale.
"It helped to attract more attention than probably would have happened normally to the oil painting, which was the star lot in our auction on Friday.
"Although there were a number of bids from the floor, the sale was finally fought out between a telephone bidder and an internet bidder.
"It was very exciting and there was a round of applause when the painting was finally sold."
The saleroom is not revealing the name of the vendor or buyer, who both want to remain anonymous.
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