* JOHN BELLANY CBE RA HRSA (SCOTTISH 1942 - 2013), PLAYING CARDS OF THE HALIBUT

oil on canvas, signed, titled in the artist's hand on label verso unframed overall size 152cm x 152cm Comment: An exceptional and very large example of Bellany's work. Note: Collector demand has never been higher for the work of John Bellany and numerous examples have been sold in recent months by both McTear's and others at ever more impressive prices. In The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction of 29th May 2022 "The Finnon Smoker" by Bellany sold for £80,000 (hammer) and in the same sale, "Bass Rock Fable" (a 76 x 61cm unframed oil) sold for £12,000 (hammer). In our 21st August 2022 auction, lot 137 "The Newspaper Hat" (a 61 x 51cm oil) sold for £9500 (hammer). "Like-for-like" auction prices for original paintings are usually difficullt to assess, but in The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction of April 2023, two Bellany paintings which had been acquired in our auctions in September and November 2014 were consigned for sale by the same owner. The original 2014 selling prices were £1800 and £4000 and the same paintings sold in April for £3800 and £7000 (all hammer prices). This equates to a growth in value of 86.2% in fewer than nine years. In The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction of 25th May 2023, lot 282, "Restless Wave" a 90 x 90cm oil (by Bellany) sold for £9000 (hammer) and in our auction of 9th November, lot 92, "Harbour" a 90 x 120cm oil by Bellany sold for £11000 (hammer). Most recently, "The Players" lot 50 in our auction of 28th March 2024 sold for £30000 (hammer) and on 1st August 2024 lot 95 "Self Portrait as a Dog, With Puffin" (a 170 x 155cm oil on canvas) sold for £15000 (hammer).