STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET.- Sworders have set a new auction record for a painting by Belle Epoque artist Count Albert de Belleroche (1864-1944). The 1890 oil on canvas view of A Woman Standing In A Doorway Of An Interior, shot way above its £1500-2000 estimate to sell for £30,000 at the auctioneers’ bumper Fine Interiors sale at Stansted Mountfitchet on March 13.

The Welsh-born Belleroche was a close friend and studio mate of John Singer Sargent and, like him, made a name depicting women.

The painting came to Sworders via a valuation day at their Hertford office in December and the price was just one of a number of outstanding sales, with Sworders’ chairman Guy Schooling calling out lots to the largest gathering of bidders in the saleroom and online in the history of Sworders Fine Art.

“We had 20% more registered bidders than ever before and 50% more viewings of lots prior to the sale,” said Schooling.

The result? A sale total across the 650-plus lot auction of £534,000.

Other highlights included the £9800 paid for a show-stopping figure of Boer War general Sir Redvers Buller VC modeled as a centaur carousel mount. It was the most successful of the John Barker collection of 12 gallopers and fairground figures, nine of which changed hands.

An extremely rare set of four early 19th century lopsided real tennis racquets by Tison made £13,000, while an Edward Seago (1910-74) signed oil on board view of Amsterdam went for £7600.

“The sale was an extraordinary success across all categories,” said Schooling. “Pictures, silver, arms and armour, books, the Bill Brown collection of cutlery (which sold out), furniture and the rest all did extremely well.

“It is days like these that remind you of why you came into this business. This is a significant boost for morale not just for us but the whole industry and augurs well for our exceptional forthcoming two-day sale of the principal contents of North Mymms Park on April 17 and 18.”