The seemingly endless saga of a Childe Hassam painting that sits in the Blasco Library in Erie, PA continues. Christie’s made a play for the picture telling the good burghers of Erie they could raise $2.5m for their coffers by selling it through the auction house. In the end, the town elders decided not to sell. Now it turns out there has been another offer on the table for more than a year.

Andrew Schoelkopf, owner of Menconi & Schoelkopf Fine Art LLC, wrote a letter more than a year ago to county officials that states that “we are confident that we could find a buyer” for “Summer Afternoon, Isle of Shoals,” at the $5 million price, minus a 10 percent commission for his company. […] Schoelkopf, in recent weeks, has reiterated his desire to sell the painting for the county through discussions with County Councilman Joseph Giles.

Art dealer: Erie County could get $5 million for Hassam painting (GoErie.com)