Dalí Artwork Bought for £150 at Clearance Sale Heads to Auction

Rediscovered Dalí Masterpiece

A watercolor purchased for just £150 at a Cambridge house clearance in 2023 has been authenticated as an original Salvador Dalí. Titled 'Vecchio Sultano' (Old Sultan), the artwork is now set for auction at Cheffins on October 23 with an estimated value of €23,000-€35,000.

Historical Context

The artwork belongs to a series commissioned by Italian collectors Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto in the 1950s. Dalí initially planned biblical illustrations but shifted to scenes from 'One Thousand and One Nights'. Of the 100 completed works (from a planned 500), 50 remained with the Albarettos while 50 went to publisher Rizzoli - with 'Vecchio Sultano' among those later lost.

Authentication Journey

An anonymous art dealer recognized the piece's significance after purchase. Research revealed it was previously attributed to Dalí at a 1990 Sotheby's auction. Cheffins notes such reattributions of major modern artworks are exceptionally rare after being delisted from established catalogues.

About Salvador Dalí

Dalí (1904-1989), the Spanish surrealist master, revolutionized 20th-century art with dreamlike imagery. His works frequently explore subconscious themes through distorted landscapes and symbolic objects. This discovery follows recent recoveries of other 'lost' Dalí pieces across Europe.