Long-lost Dali prints found in London garage after 50 years
A collection of signed lithographs by renowned Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali has been discovered in a London garage after being stored away for approximately 50 years. The prints were found during a routine valuation by an auctioneer. These artworks, along with others by French artist Theo Tobiasse, are now set to go under the hammer and are expected to fetch several thousand dollars.
Prints discovered during a routine home visit
The prints were discovered when Chris Kirkham, the associate director of London's Hansons Richmond auction house, was invited to a property in Mayfair, central London, for a routine valuation of antiques, reportedly. The client, whose identity has not been disclosed, led Kirkham to his garage where the collection of lithographs was stored. The discovery included 10 prints by Dali and five by Theo Tobiasse.
'Amazing find, felt quite surreal,' said the auctioneer
Describing the discovery as an "amazing find," Kirkham reportedly said, "They'd been tucked away and forgotten about for around 50 years." Expressing his enthusiam, he said, "It felt quite surreal. You never know what you're going to uncover on a routine home visit." The auctioneer added that the prints were acquired from a closing down sale of a central London gallery during the 1970s.
Prints to go under the hammer next month
The prints, which were originally bought for around £500 ($660), are now expected to fetch a similar amount individually at an auction scheduled for September 30. The auctioneer noted that both Dali and Tobiasse are highly regarded artists and anything associated with them is sought after. These lithographs, he added, offer an affordable opportunity for art enthusiasts to own a signed print.
