A Salvador Dali painting that was purchased for just £150 ($185) at a Cambridge house clearance sale in 2023 has now been authenticated as an original work and valued at up to £30,000 ($37,000). The mixed media artwork, titled "Vecchio Sultano," was discovered by an anonymous art dealer who recognized its potential value among items being sold during the estate clearance.
The remarkable discovery has been verified by Dali expert Nicolas Descharnes, who certified the piece as authentic. Research revealed that the painting had previously been offered for sale at Sotheby's in the 1990s with full attribution to the renowned Spanish surrealist artist. The work will be auctioned by Cheffins on October 23, 2025, with a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 to £30,000 ($25,000 to $37,000).
Gabrielle Downie, an associate at Cheffins auction house, emphasized the significance of the rediscovery. "The loss of an attribution is quite rare in the modern art world, making this a significant rediscovery for Dali scholars," she explained. "To handle a genuine rediscovery of a work by someone who is easily one of the most famous artists in the world, and the godfather of Surrealism, is a real honor. It has been an exciting process researching and having this painting authenticated, and it is a testament to the seller's significant art knowledge that he was able to spot this picture at a house clearance sale."
The artwork, created with watercolor paint and felt-tip pen, measures 38 centimeters by 29 centimeters (approximately 15 inches by 11 inches). It depicts a scene from "The Arabian Nights" and represents an unusual side of Dali's practice when working in watercolor, showing a different aspect from his more recognizable surrealist paintings. "While Dali's work is often some of the most recognizable, this is an unusual piece which shows a different side to his practice when working in watercolor," Downie noted.
The painting is part of a fascinating chapter in Dali's career involving a commission from wealthy Italian couple Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto. Originally, the Albarettos had asked Dali to illustrate a Bible in 1963, but the artist insisted on illustrating scenes from "1,001 Nights" instead – a collection of Middle Eastern folktales. Downie explained that Dali was fascinated with Moorish culture and believed himself to be from a Moorish line, which influenced his preference for this subject matter.
The project was originally intended to include 500 illustrations, but Dali completed only 100 of the planned works before abandoning the series. Of these 100 completed pieces, 50 remained with the publishing house Rizzoli and were either damaged or lost over time. The other 50 stayed with the Albaretto family and were later inherited by their daughter Christina, who was also Dali's goddaughter. These 50 family-retained works were eventually published by the Folio Society in 2016.
According to Downie, the painting now set for auction most likely came from the batch of 50 works that were retained and later lost by the publishers. "I think, given that Dali engineered the commission to suit his whims, that he very much enjoyed this project and the subject matter," she said. The discovery represents not only a significant financial windfall for the anonymous dealer but also an important addition to the documented works of one of the 20th century's most celebrated artists.
