Der Verkauf (The Sale) by an unknown artist, €70,000 (£60,870) at Wendl.
The motif, catalogued as Der Verkauf (The Sale), showed a peasant taking money from a nobleman for his obviously distraught daughter while several loaves of bread lie at their feet.
The catalogue provided no interpretation of the possibly allegorical subject matter. There were some intriguing details such as traces of a signature and, on the reverse, a wax seal with a coat of arms.
One can assume that the Dutch dealer who saw off all of his many competitors knew or suspected who the painter or perhaps the one-time owner of the 13 x 11in (34 x 29cm) panel really were.
He was certainly prepared to put up the money: his winning bid was €70,000 (£60,870).
