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Pic: ZacharyCulpin/BNPS
A 15th century panel painting worth hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be returned to the museum it was stolen from 44 years ago thanks to an eagle-eyed auctioneer.
The double-sided 10ins by 19ins altar screen fragment, depicting European saints, was one of a pair donated to the York Art Gallery in 1955.
It was stolen when the gallery was burgled in broad daylight in November 1979 and was thought to be lost forever.
However, it re-emerged last November when it was put up for auction 300 miles away at Duke's Auctioneers of Dorchester, Dorset.
When one of the firm's specialists examined it, they realised they were possibly handling the stolen panel.
Pic: ZacharyCulpin/BNPS
A 15th century panel painting worth hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be returned to the museum it was stolen from 44 years ago thanks to an eagle-eyed auctioneer.
The double-sided 10ins by 19ins altar screen fragment, depicting European saints, was one of a pair donated to the York Art Gallery in 1955.
It was stolen when the gallery was burgled in broad daylight in November 1979 and was thought to be lost forever.
However, it re-emerged last November when it was put up for auction 300 miles away at Duke's Auctioneers of Dorchester, Dorset.
When one of the firm's specialists examined it, they realised they were possibly handling the stolen panel.
ZacharyCulpin/BNPS 21 Mar 2023 4990x3327 / 3.8MB