Art postcards spark buying frenzy

People have been able to view the postcards since mid-November

Postcards by artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin have sold out just hours after the opening of the Royal College of Art's 'secret' sale.

The identity of the artist remains unknown until each work is bought and the signature is revealed on the back.

About 2,500 cards - costing £35 each - went on sale at 0800 GMT on Saturday, with three quarters sold by noon.

Some fans queued up outside the college in Kensington, west London, from late on Friday evening.

Other famous names behind the postcards include film-maker Terry Gilliam, fashion designer Sir Paul Smith and Julien McDonald and photographer David Bailey.

Second-guessing

The exhibition of over 2000 postcards has been open for viewing since 17 November.

The annual sale, now in its 13th year, has been booked to last all weekend, depending on if and when all the cards sell out.

A spokeswoman for the college urged potential buyers to choose something they liked rather than try to second-guess which postcards were created by well-known artists.

She said lots of designers behind the cards "play games", with students attempting to emulate famous artists.

"What's most wonderful is when people buy something because they like it," she said.

All funds raised by the sale go to the Royal College of Art student award fund, which supports students with grants and bursaries.