(MENAFN- USA Art News) A lucky British art collector in Cambridge recently made an astonishing discovery, acquiring a Salvador Dali painting for a mere £150. This incredible find, initially purchased for a pittance, has since been valued between £20,000 and £30,000, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the art market. The Dali painting, titled“Vecchio Sultano” (“Old Sultan”), is scheduled to be sold at auction on October 23rd, according to The Guardian.

The piece, created in 1966 using mixed media techniques including watercolor and felt-tip pen, forms part of a series of 100 illustrations commissioned from Dali by Italian patrons Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto for the“One Thousand and One Nights” cycle. While Dali intended to produce 500 illustrations, the project was ultimately left incomplete.

Two years ago, an unnamed antique dealer operating in Cambridge spotted the Dali painting at a local sale. For a nominal £150, the art collector took a gamble, drawn to Dali's signature in the lower right corner. The art collector later found evidence suggesting a previous history at Sotheby's, with auction labels from the 1990s still attached to the back, indicating the painting's potential significance within the art market.

Expert in Dali paintings, Nicolas Descharnes, has authenticated the piece. He confirmed that the style, color palette, and paper type are consistent with other illustrations from the same series, further bolstering its position in the art market.

Gabriel Downey, a specialist from the Cheffins auction house, notes that Dali's fascination with Moorish culture at the time heavily influenced his work. The“One Thousand and One Nights” illustrations, intended for publication by Rizzoli, were ultimately shelved. Approximately 50 of these works remain with the Albaretto family, while the fate of the other half is unknown.

This story echoes another recent discovery. In Minnesota, USA, an unknown painting thought to be by Vincent Van Gogh was found at a garage sale and was acquired for $50. Titled“Élimal”, the painting was painted in 1889, experts believe, while Van Gogh was in the Saint-Paul psychiatric hospital. PR-50 was found in the paint and was used in the sky to give it a purple hue. This pigment was registered back in 1883.

These incidents demonstrate the exciting and sometimes unpredictable nature of the art market, where hidden gems can be unearthed in the most unexpected places, bringing joy to both the art collector and the wider community.

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