Forgotten for half a century, ten signed Salvador Dalí prints were discovered in a lucky Londoner’s garage. The UK-based auction house Hanson Auctioneers will offer the lithograph collection in a September 30 sale. Together, the colorful Dalí prints are expected to fetch several thousand dollars.
“It Felt Quite Surreal”
The Dalí prints were discovered during a routine valuation visit by Hansons Auctioneers. Chris Kirkham, auctioneer and associate director at Hansons Richmond, visited a property in central London to assess some antiques. When the client invited him into the garage, “out came this treasure trove of Surrealist lithographs,” Kirkham explained in a statement. “They’d been tucked away and forgotten about for around 50 years. It felt quite surreal. You never know what you’re going to uncover on a routine home visit.” Kirkham found ten colorful lithographic prints, all signed by Salvador Dalí and mostly consisting of allegorical and mythological scenes. He also found another five prints by Theo Tobiasse, a 20th-century French painter and engraver.
Dalí Prints Head to Auction in September
Sometime in the 1970s, the unnamed owner of the lithographs purchased the collection for about $650 at a gallery closing sale in London. Intending to frame them, he stored the Salvador Dalí and Theo Tobiasse prints in his garage. Eventually, the owner forgot about them—until now, half a century later. “They were rediscovered because the seller has been having a clearout. He’s looking to retire and move abroad,” Kirkham explained, “so now his lithographs will finally see the light of day at auction.”
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterHansons Auctioneers expect to sell the ten Dalí prints for £300 to £500 each (about $450 to $600). The five Tobiasse prints are estimated to sell for £100 to £300 each (about $150 to $400). Together, the entire collection of lithographs could fetch around £5,000 (about $6,500). “Dalí and Tobiasse are highly regarded, and anything connected to them is sought after,” said Kirkham. “These lithographs provide an inexpensive way to own a signed print.”
Salvador Dalí: History and Auction Records
Salvador Dalí was one of the most famous and influential artists of the 20th century. From melting clocks to creeping ants, the Spanish Surrealist’s imaginative and often nightmarish motifs continue to shock and resonate with audiences nearly a century later. Dalí was inspired by Sigmund Freud to explore the notions of dream interpretation and the unconscious mind. He experimented with all kinds of modern art media, including painting, printmaking, sculpture, film, animation, and photography.
Dalí’s auction record was set in 2011 when Sotheby’s London sold the 1929 painting Portrait de Paul Éluard for $17.8 million. The highest price for a Dalí lithograph was set in March 2023, when French auction house Osenat sold Madone à l’Enfant ou Madone Sixtine for $56,000. The London garage lithographs will headline the Hansons Richmond Fine Art Antiques and Collectibles Auction on September 30, 2024.
