Lucky, so lucky: a man bought an original Picasso for the price of an old picture frame

Life is full of surprises. While some collectors are laying out fabulous sums for art objects, some amateur manages to buy a masterpiece for a penny. This is exactly what happened to 52-year-old Briton Philip Sapleton from Croly. At one of the flea markets, a man liked the frame of an old painting, which turned out to be an original by the great Picasso.

"A bather sitting on the seashore" at the price of a picture frame

Usually, buyers are concerned about the true value of items due to the reluctance to overpay too much. Therefore, Philip Appleton often looks at flea markets, hoping to purchase another exhibit for the collection at a reasonable price. During one of these visits, he drew attention to a painting that was not even in the window. The canvas was framed by a well-preserved Art Deco frame.

Being an amateur in the art world, the Briton attributed the frame and the painting itself to the 1930s — 1950s. He took the "bather" in the style of surrealism for a good copy. The seller requested 230 pounds, which is equivalent to 19,000 rubles. For a long time, Philip Appleton did not leave the thought that a copy of Picasso cost him too much, even taking into account the beautiful Art Deco frame. He decided to sell the canvas at auction to recoup the costs.

A curious detail that changed the value of the painting

The expert of the auction house Rosie May found on the back of the canvas a barely noticeable inscription "The estate of Roland Penrose". Once the aforementioned estate was located almost next to the auction house in Chidingley. Picasso repeatedly visited the estate of Penrose, who helped the artist with exhibitions. Rosie May suggested that the painting bought at a flea market was nothing more than a sketch of the famous "Bather sitting on the seashore."

Of course, coincidences alone are not enough to assess authenticity. A thorough examination is required. There is a high probability that the painting will turn out to be authentic. In this case, its cost will increase to 750,000 pounds, which is equivalent to six million rubles. If Philip decides to sell the painting without examination, he will receive 10-50 thousand pounds, that is, from 800 thousand to four million rubles. In any case, it is much more than 230 pounds. Philip Appleton has every chance to get rich on June 7, when the auction takes place.