Winston Churchill's Painting Sells for $2.8 million

A painting by former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Winston Churchill, has sold for record $2.8 million at an auction.

The price of the painting of the fishpond at his rural home sold for almost the double for which his previous work had been sold.

"The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell" surpassed the record 1 million pounds that had been paid at an auction in 2007 for another painting by Chruchill.

The painting, painted by him in the year 1932, is based on the pond at his Kent home.

After the death of his daughter Mary Soames in May, Sotheby's in London auctioned the artwork Wednesday. Mary Soames had 15 of his paintings that raised a total of $24.1 million.

The auction house described the painting as "undoubtedly Churchill's masterpiece from the decade" and "a striking manifestation of the artist at his very best," BBC reports.

Sotheby's had expected to earn between $626166 - $939249 for the painting.

"Churchill's exceptional ability as a painter was celebrated," said a spokesman for Sotheby's, Daily Mail reports.

A ministerial briefcase from Churchill's time in the Cabinet sold for around $250,000. Meanwhile, a signed photograph to Mary Soames from former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sold for more than $50,000, which is 10 times more than what the auction house had expected.

Below the picture, the American president had written: "For Mary, from her friend the other naval person, Franklin D. Roosevelt."

Out of the 11 pieces of artwork sold by Sotheby's in the auction. At least five were nabbed by American buyers and two by U.K. buyers.