Signed David Hockney print found in charity shop book sells for £41,000

Published: 00:39, 19 July 2026 | Updated: 00:44, 19 July 2026 A signed print by celebrated British artist David Hockney which was discovered inside a book donated to a charity shop has sold for £41,160.   The print by David Hockney was found by a volunteer at a Salvation Army shop in Norwich, tucked inside the pages of a donated copy of the artist's Paper Pools book some 46 years later.  The influential artist, who died last month aged 88, had signed at the bottom of the print, which depicts a diving board and a swimming pool: 'David Hockney 80.'  The book had been donated over the counter at Goat Lane charity shop a year ago.  A volunteer noticed the print tucked inside the pages, leading long-serving volunteer and local artist Jemma Banks to wonder how valuable the donation could be.  The print was researched by the Salvation Army Trading Company and online eBay store, then listed for auction on The Salvation Army's Collectables and Curiosity eBay shop.  Bidding 'quickly gathered pace', the charity said, with the artwork eventually selling for an incredible £41,160.  The buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, is said to be 'thrilled with his purchase'.  The signed print was found inside a donated copy of Paper Pools by Hockney at a Salvation Army shop in Norwich. Pictured: volunteer and local artist Jemma Banks (left) and shop manager Maria Zacharias (right)  The celebrated and influential British artist died peacefully at home aged 88 last month He said: 'I've admired David Hockney's work for many years, so acquiring such an iconic piece is incredibly special.  'I'm delighted that, at the same time, the purchase will help support the invaluable work of The Salvation Army.  'It's wonderful to know that something with such cultural significance can also make a meaningful difference to people's lives.'  Volunteer Jemma Banks told the Standard: 'It was a privilege to hold a genuine signed David Hockney print in my hands, and I was amazed that it had remained safely inside the book for 46 years, looking as fresh as the day it came off the lithographic press.'  Paper Pools by David Hockney was published in 1980 and details some of Hockney's most iconic swimming pool artworks.  It also documents Hockney's innovative exploration of a new medium - making art by painting directly with coloured paper pulp instead of ink or oils.  The Salvation Army said the original signed print tucked safely inside the book made it an 'exceptionally rare collector's piece'.  The British artist died peacefully aged 88 last month, with King Charles paying tribute to him as 'one of life's true originals'.  The rare collectable sold at auction for an incredible £41,160 to an anonymous buyer Hockney became Britain's best-known and best-loved living artist with an impressive career that spanned seven decades  He rose to fame in the 1960s with his depictions of swimming pools, inspired by his visits to California: ‘Renoir liked plump girls, I like Californian boys' He was best known for his important contribution to English pop art, for not 'giving a damn' to his critics, for his avid passion for smoking – and as one of the country's foremost modern-day painters. He was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with the Order of Merit in his lifetime, and lived by his signature phrase, Love Life.  Hockney's seven-decade career began when he rose to fame in the 1960s with famous works depicting swimming pools. He went on to produce art of garden scenes, the Yorkshire woods and his loved ones, and also painted multiple self-portraits during his long and distinguished career. He came out as gay at 23, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal, and was linked to several long-term romantic partners during his life. In 2018, his painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) was sold at auction in New York for $90million (£70million) – smashing the then record for a work by a living artist. Hockney suffered from health battles in recent years. He suffered a minor stroke in 2013 and was wheelchair-bound with full-time carers towards the end of his life. However, he has continued to paint and one of his latest exhibitions paid homage to members of his inner circle, including portraits of Thomas Mupfupi, one of his carers, and Jack Ransome, who makes his glasses. His last exhibition, A Year In Normandie, is currently open at the Serpentine Gallery in London's Kensington Gardens until late August.