A small 320-year-old artwork that had been in an elderly Melbourne couple’s family for generations has struck gold after they discovered it and consigned it for sale.
The artwork, titled Three Peaches on a Stone Ledge with a Painted Lady Butterfly, was created by the Dutch master Adriaen Coorte and was auctioned early on Friday in London by Bonhams.
Initially, the pre-sale estimate was around AUD $460,000, but it rapidly surpassed that figure, ultimately concluding at AUD $3.2 million, which marks a new record for the artist.
According to Bonhams Australia chairman Mark Fraser, “The owners listened to the auction online but prefer to remain anonymous as they take in the magnitude of their windfall. They are absolutely ecstatic and emotional. This painting accompanied their family when they migrated to Australia from northern Europe in the 1950s.”
Bonhams frequently receives inquiries from individuals seeking to determine the value of their heirlooms.
Fraser notes, “While it might only be a one in a hundred chance, it’s certainly worth checking out.”
