Brit graffiti artist Banksy's work fetches £32,500 at London auction

Works by the elusive British graffiti artist Banksy sold for double their estimate or more at an auction in London featuring his and work by other contemporary artists, Bonham's said on Thursday. Banksy's "Rude Copper" (2002), a screen-print and spraypainted image of a British bobby making a rude gesture, was the top seller, going for £32,500 ($49,088) against a high estimate of £12,000.

Bonham's said that Banksy prints from the collection of Steve Lazarides, a promoter of street art, made £434,600 in Wednesday's auction, with 30 of the works selling above their high estimates.

"Christ with Shopping Bags" (2004), a re-imagining of crucifixion imagery, made £22,500 against a high estimate of £12,000. "Flower Thrower" (2003) sold for £20,625 after a high estimate of £12,000. "Laugh Now" (2004) and "Festival" (2006) each made £20,000, against high estimates of £8,000 and £6,000, respectively.

Banksy is the pseudonym of a graffiti artist who first emerged in Bristol, England, as part of an underground group of street artists. He hides his identity and real name, and his works are highly sought after by art collectors.

The top lot at the auction was Irish artist Conor Harrington's "Dance With the Devil" (2013), an oil and spray paint on stretched linen, which sold for £77,500 against a pre-sale estimate of £30,000-£50,000.

Paintings by Harrington, who started his career working as a graffiti artist in the mid-1990s, have been bought by celebrity collectors including Alicia Keys, Jared Leto and Damien Hirst.