A telephone bidder "calling from the car park at Royal Ascot" on Tuesday evening failed to secure a painting titled Horse Fair at Goresbridge by Peter Curling in de Veres art auction at Buswell's Hotel.

In the end, the mystery caller was trumped by a buyer in Ireland whose winning bid was €31,000 – comfortably above the estimate (€20,000-€25,000).

Many of the lots in the sale had an equine theme including, also, Pony In A Connemara Garden by Gerard Dillon, which made €42,000 (€30,000-€40,000); Falcarragh Fair, Co Donegal by Gladys MacCabe, €2,000 (€1,000-€1,500); and Ballinasloe Horse Fair, Co Galway by Ivan Sutton €1,200, (€1,200-€1,600). However, two bronze sculptures: Circus Horse by Patrick O'Reilly (€2,500-€3,500) and Red Rum by Enzo Plazotta (€1,000-€1,500) failed to sell.

Overall, 72 per cent of lots sold and auctioneer Rory Guthrie said "there was good competition for all the higher value lots" which was "further evidence that the top of the market is undersupplied" – confirming what some other auctioneers have said recently about a shortage of top quality art being consigned to auction despite strong demand from buyers.

Other paintings sold included Maidens by Daniel O'Neill which made a very strong price of €19,000 – more than double the top estimate (€6,000-€9,000); Campsite, Poppintree, North Co Dublin by Maurice MacGonigal sold for € 13,500, (€10,000-€15,000); The Young One by John Doherty sold for €3,000, (€3,000-€5,000); and Pears on Pewter Platter by Hilda van Stockum sold for €2,200 (€1,000-€2,000).

For full results see deveres.ie.