The recovery of stolen masterpieces is always newsworthy; this most recent case is no exception!  Yesterday in Italy, a few paintings, one by Pierre Bonnard, valued around $650,000, and another by Paul Gauguin, valued around $30-48 million dollars, were recovered from the kitchen of the home of an Italian pensioner.  The works were stolen from a Regent’s Park, London, home in 1970, and the former Fiat factory worker bought them in 1975 for a pittance!  Seventy dollars, it seems!  Quite a bargain!

Of course, these works, both of which were cut out of their frames, have to be checked for condition in order to properly appraise them.  Additionally, ownership will have to be determined, and thus far, no heirs of the original owners have been readily discovered.

Cases like this offer hope that other stolen works of art, such as the priceless trove lifted off the walls of the venerable Boston mansion, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, might one day find their way back home.

Make sure to check your walls, attics and basements carefully!