The online auction clock ticked, the bids on my painting rising steadily: £1,000, £5,000, and finally, past £10,000. It was surreal. My painting, a dusty find from a local tip 13 years ago, had just sold for £26,500. It was hard to believe. Ever since I was 10, I’ve had a knack for finding interesting items, a fascination that started with an old red chopper bike I discovered at the tip. It became the first piece in my very own “antiques shop,” a collection I built from tip finds, car boot sales, and charity shops.
But my most significant discovery happened when I was 11. We were at the Cranbrook tip, surrounded by other families unloading their unwanted items. As I watched, a large picture of an armored knight on a horse, flanked by a devil and the figure of death, caught my eye. The image was compelling, and with youthful boldness, I approached the lady whose boot it was in. “Are you throwing this away?” I asked. She nodded, and with a beaming smile, she said, “Of course! You’re welcome to it.”
I proudly brought the painting back to my shed, had it framed, and it became the centerpiece of my collection. I knew there was something special about it, something that made me want to protect it. For 12 years, it remained untouched in the shed, a silent guardian of its own story.
Then, about 18 months ago, I decided to clear out my old antiques. The storage costs were mounting, and I knew the painting deserved a proper home. I took it to Jim Spencer, the director of Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, to see what it might be worth. His reaction was one of stunned amazement, bordering on shock. He confirmed that the painting was an original version of Knight, Death and the Devil, created by Albrecht Dürer, a contemporary of Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, and one of the most revered artists of the Renaissance.
It was difficult to comprehend. I had found a 500-year-old engraving, a genuine work of art, at a local tip. The British Museum authenticated the painting, confirming Jim’s assessment. And in September 2024, it went up for auction, selling for nearly £27,000. Jim called it one of the most important prints he’d ever offered. A German collector, paying £33,390 with buyer’s premium, won the bid.
The thought of it being discarded as rubbish, then ending up in a museum, is mind-boggling. I’m grateful that my childhood hobby saved this piece of history from being lost forever. The money will go towards a new car, and I’ll continue to keep my eyes open for hidden treasures. One man’s trash truly can be another man’s treasure – a lesson I learned at 11, and one that will stay with me forever.
