A record breaking price for an iconic Gallipoli painting.

'Simpson And His Donkey', which depicts a medical orderly supporting an injured ANZAC soldier at Gallipoli, went under the hammer in Auckland last night.

The Horace Moore-Jones piece fetched $257,950 dollars - more than double its previous price.

Richard Thomson of the International Art Centre says it was a frenzied auction.

"We had telephone bidders, we had absentee bidders, we had people bidding in the room, we really didn't know when it was going to stop.

"I thought it was going to stop around $200,000."

Richard Thomson won't name the private buyer, but says the painting is in good hands.