Auctions are very heated places and a new Channel 4 series, The Greatest Auction, shows just how tense they can be. In the first episode of the new series, which is hosted by AJ Odudu, artwork which is believed to be Banksy is sold for £250,000.
No one knows who the seller is, after they sent a representative, Justin, and kept their identity hidden, and after the artwork was examined there was no clear answer to whether or not the piece was actually Banksy. The artwork features a piece of wall with a rat holding a paintbrush sprayed on it and it reads "Never liked this Banksy".
Justin confirmed that he was not representing Banksy nor was he Banksy himself. There has been no comment from Banksy claiming the artwork and no comment from any other artist claiming the work either. You can keep up to date with the latest TV and showbiz news by signing up to the newsletter here.
Robin Barton, who describes himself as playing a "cat and mouse game" with Banksy, finding his art, buying them and then selling them, is after the piece for his collection. One critic said he didn't believe the letters "seem in the same style that he (Banksy) normally does" however Robin did not believe that to be true.
Another critic said he was not "a thousand per cent" either way on if it was Banksy or not however some experts believed it was. In a tense bidding war where Robin was in the room and a millionaire art collector from Dubai was phoning in, it appeared the price of the art could have kept rising.
After starting at £35,000 the bidders continued until the Dubai buyer pulled out at £250,000 meaning Robin took home the possible Banksy. He said: "I got what I wanted. That was my limit... when it got up to the 200, I thought maybe I got this wrong, maybe they are hungrier than I am. I wouldn't have gone a penny over that so I got it and I'm taking it home."
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