Burglars ignored two decorative tiles while robbing a rural bungalow – which are now tipped to sell for £120,000 after being identified as rare Renaissance treasure
Two decorative Renaissance ceramic tiles that hung unnoticed in a Dorset hallway for over 30 years, and were even ignored by burglars during a break-in, have been identified as rare 16th-century treasures worth an estimated £120,000. The owners, unaware of the plaques' true significance, sent photographs to auctioneers Woolley & Wallis, prompting experts to visit the property and confirm the pieces were the work of celebrated Renaissance artist Francesco Xanto Avelli.
The tiles are maiolica plaques from a prestigious 39-piece series Xanto painted in 1536 depicting the life of King Cyrus of Persia, other examples of which are held at the Louvre; they had been missing for more than a century. Their provenance traces back to Sir Andrew Fountaine, who acquired them on a Grand Tour of Europe in 1714-15, possibly directly from Cosimo Medici III, before they passed to General Pitt Rivers at an 1884 London auction and later to the current owners' parents. They will now be sold individually at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury, each carrying an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000.
- Dorset tiles ignored by burglars turn out to be Renaissance treasures
- Identified as 16th-century Xanto Avelli maiolica plaques worth £120,000
- To be auctioned at Woolley & Wallis with £40,000-£60,000 estimates each