THE BIGGEST surprise of Parker Fine Art Auctions sale on March 10 was £20,000 paid for an early 19th century view of Farnham.

Two determined bidders placed a total of 72 bids starting at £280 for the work of relatively unknown artist J. Fisher (illustrated).

The view is down Castle Street from The Borough, towards Farnham Castle (originally built in 1138), and the streetscape remains largely unchanged today.

The image has added significance as it contains a view of the old Market House – the building on the right with a steeple – which was demolished in the 1870s. But its provenance remains a mystery.

Vicky Saunders of Parker’s told the Herald: “The artist is unknown to us. We have searched and cannot find anyone with these dates.

She added that the piece had been ‘listed for sale by someone who lives outside the area but thought it would be better in Farnham’.

Both bidders were private collectors of local material, both of whom had previously purchased from East Street-based Parker Fine Art Auctions.

An abstract painting by contemporary artist Maggi Hambling sold for £4,400. In 2018, Maggi caused a stir when her nude statue of Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century “premother of feminism,” was unveiled.

The auction also included a collection of nine prints by Lowry. group of children, a group of typical “matchstick” figures, sold above estimate for £2,100. The original painting dates from 1966.

• Parker’s next sale, a timed online auction of decorative paintings, started last Friday and will end on Thursday, March 31. It will be followed by an auction of works of art and frames on Thursday 7 April.