A Dutch fence recently confessed to police that he had sold a stolen Jan Schoonhoven work at Sotheby’s this. The work was vetted but the news report claims that it was stolen from Bommel van Dam museum in Venlo a few months beforehand.

The work, which dates from 1969, was sold for almost €214,000. It was sold under a different name and had been turned 90 degrees in the auction catalogue.

The sale came to light last week when someone, described by the NRC as a fence, reported to the police in Amsterdam with two other stolen Schoonhovens and admitted selling one through Sotheby’s.

Meanwhile, Sotheby’s had also been to the police after the buyers became suspicious about their new purchase’s provenance.

Sotheby’s auctioned stolen work of Dutch artist (NRC.nl)