Stanley Spencer's (1891-1959) Bellrope Meadow sold for an estimate-smashing £91,250 at Bonhams' 20th Century British and Irish Art auction on May 30.

It was one of three previously undiscovered Spencer landscape paintings of Cookham, the village where the British artist was born and spent much of his life, to sell at the London auction.

Spencer's £91,250 Bellrope Meadow

Bellrope Meadow beat its £35,000 estimate by 160.7%.

Black Butts, estimated to achieve £30,000, comfortably surpassed its valuation with a £44,450 performance, while Cookham Reach and Barley Hill sold within estimate for £25,000.

Bellrope Meadow and Black Butts were a gift from Spencer to his older brother Percy. Cookham Reach and Barley Hill was a gift to the wife of a close friend.

The sale is a further indication of the strength of the Spencer market. In June 2011 his Workmen in the House brought £4.74m and The Bathing Pool, Dogs achieved £4.18m.

It is also a reminder of the considerable appeal of freshly discovered works to art buyers.

Matthew Bradbury, the director of Bonhams' 20th century British and Irish Art department, commented: "It is very rare to find unknown paintings by Sir Stanley Spencer".

The auction also featured the £25,000 sale of Paul Henry's A View of Croagh Patrick from Achill Island, while Gerard Dillon's The Moon over the Bog made £61,250.

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