TWO new world records have been set for the prices reached by artwork at a Dales auction house.

Works by John Ridgewell and Cecil Rochfort D’Oyly John went under the hammer for record prices at Tennants of Leyburn's auction of Modern and Contemporary Art on Friday.

The first record was produced by‘Night fisherman at St Tropez, South of France’ by Cecil Rochfort D’Oyly John, who was known for his idealised sun-drenched views of the Mediterranean.

After considerable interest from both national and international bidders, the picture was sold for a hammer price of £3,900 against an estimate of £300 to £500.

The second record was set for ‘Still life with wild flowers on a ledge before a surreal background’, by John Ridgewell, which sold for £1,400 against an estimate of £200-300.

This work was one of a number by Ridgewell that sold strongly in the sale, all of which were being sold by the estate of the artist.

Works from two other artist’s estates also generated much interest, and strong prices were achieved for works from the estate of William Norman Gaunt and Edith Lawrence, a key member of the Grosvenor School of Art.

Elsewhere in the sale, strong prices for prints for Henry Moore showed a continued demand for works by this iconic Yorkshire artist.

‘Sheep Heads’ and ‘Sheep Standing’ sold respectively for £1,000 and £600.

The sale resulted in a total hammer price of £49,480, with 87 per cent of the 171 lots sold.