Rare Norman Rockwell Painting to be Offered at Auction

For the benefit of fellow Norman Rockwell fans with healthy bank balances:

Press Release

"An unpublished original Norman Rockwell oil painting will be auctioned off Saturday May 15th, 2004 at the Illustration House located at 110 West 25 Street, New York City.

It was purchased in 1976 at a California art auction fundraiser. The buyer bought the painting along with 5 other pieces of art. The signature line was covered with paint and the true identity of the artist did not become known for 2 years.

The painting hung in the family home for 27 years.

In 2003 an art restorer, Maris Lefkoff-Salmins, cleaned the painting and encouraged the owner to submit it for auction and authentication to the Illustration House.

On July 24 of that year the painting was submitted to be authenticated. It was authenticated in April 2004, as a circa 1927 original Norman Rockwell.

This is a never before published Norman Rockwell illustration: "Pausing Violin Player." It is an oil on canvas, 40" x 33".

Please refer to http://www.illustrationhouse.com/current/a29/a29_088.html Catalog number 88 to view the painting."