A postcard-sized painting bought in a £30 ($47) job lot has been revealed as a genuine John Constable (1776-1837), live on TV.
Art expert Curtis Dowling told the BBC on Sunday (September 1):
"It's a Constable and it's never been seen properly before, so it's part of history, it will cause a stir and become a celebrity item," before valuing the piece at around £250,000 ($390,000).
 The Lock holds the Constable auction record |
The item's owner, Curtis Dowling, revealed his father bought the work as part of a box of items a decade ago at an auction in Kent, UK.
Constables have a habit of turning up unexpectedly. Coleorton Hall, a "lost" sketch, auctioned in London for £67,250 ($101,393) in July.
The auction record for Constable's work is held by The Lock, which sold for £22.4m ($35.2m) in July 2012.
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