Winston Churchill painting unearthed in attic
The picture, painted in the 1930s, before the Second World War, is of Windlesham Moor, a house in Surrey which was later let to the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip after their marriage in 1947.
The auctioneers have spent 10 months establishing the provenance of the oil on canvas, which features the estate's Brown Lakes, arched stone bridge and the main house.
The painting was originally passed to Lord Taylor, who served Sir Winston during the war as director of home intelligence in the Ministry of Information.
He later gave it to his secretary as a gift and she in turn passed it to her son, who had no great affection for it. He wrapped it in a bin liner and stored it in the loft of his Oxfordshire home.
It remained there for 30 years until the college lecturer who does not want to be identified, took it to the saleroom. Because it was unsigned no value could initially be put on it.
"Untitled and unsigned, and at first glance, arguably unremarkable, it offered up few signs of the interest it now attracts," said John Dickins, of John Dickins Auctioneers in Middle Claydon, Bucks.
He added: "The painting reaches the public domain for the first time, having remained virtually unseen for much of its life and, for the past 20 to 30 years, un-loved and lying in an attic."
Sir Winston did not sign many of his paintings because he did not rate himself as an artist, Mr Dickens added.
He said: "Churchill was a better artist than people think, he was prolific too."
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The auctioneers have spent 10 months establishing the provenance of the oil on canvas, which features the estate's Brown Lakes, arched stone bridge and the main house.
The painting was originally passed to Lord Taylor, who served Sir Winston during the war as director of home intelligence in the Ministry of Information.
He later gave it to his secretary as a gift and she in turn passed it to her son, who had no great affection for it. He wrapped it in a bin liner and stored it in the loft of his Oxfordshire home.
It remained there for 30 years until the college lecturer who does not want to be identified, took it to the saleroom. Because it was unsigned no value could initially be put on it.
"Untitled and unsigned, and at first glance, arguably unremarkable, it offered up few signs of the interest it now attracts," said John Dickins, of John Dickins Auctioneers in Middle Claydon, Bucks.
He added: "The painting reaches the public domain for the first time, having remained virtually unseen for much of its life and, for the past 20 to 30 years, un-loved and lying in an attic."
Sir Winston did not sign many of his paintings because he did not rate himself as an artist, Mr Dickens added.
He said: "Churchill was a better artist than people think, he was prolific too."