Rare work thought to be by artist Ben Nicholson set to go under the hammer

ITV News' Graham Lewis hears how the painting was 'a gift' to a dear friend.

A painting that lay hidden for years on the wall of cottage in Cornwall will go up for sale at auction this week.

The mural was uncovered during renovation work and believed to be the work of Ben Nicholson. However some experts aren’t convinced it's by him.

It’s been painstakingly removed and, behind the painting, the bricks are still attached - making it too heavy for one person to lift.

This Thursday 11 April, it's due to be sold at Lay’s Auctioneers in Penzance.

Director David Lay said: “It's by Ben Nicholson. It was part of the bedroom wall of a dear friend of his.

"He often stayed with these friends, and as a gift to them, he painted this work on the wall of the room where he stayed.”

Those friends were Fred and Madge Staite Murray. Documents show Ben Nicholson stayed in their cottage in 1947.

At the time he lived in St Ives and was married to Barbara Hepworth.

Caroline Lay, from the auction house, said: “It's lovely to think that it has come back to be sold in Cornwall because it was such an influential place on Ben Nicholson and indeed the entire art scene. So it's a privilege to have it here.

"This is very much a conversation piece. Even the fact that you can walk around it. There's nothing ordinary about it."

The artwork was featured on the Fake or Fortune TV programme, where some experts thought there was a chance that Fred may have helped with the painting.

It has been restored by the cottage’s current owner Ian Herrington.

Mr Herrington said: “I was really pleased that it is now mobile because it will be good to hopefully go to someone that will really enjoy it.

"I am 100% convinced it it solely the work of Ben Nicholson, Well, I suppose I should put 99 on that because I wasn't there when he painted it.”

Caroline Lay added: “It's always been known in the family that it's a work by Ben Nicholson, and it's been looked after.

"There was a plastic frame covering it to preserve it, and it's just been known in the family that that's what it is.

"It doesn't make sense to my mind for Fred to get involved with a painting by someone that he respected so much, he would leave it up to the expert."

Everyone spoken to by ITV News West Country believes this is solely the work of Ben Nicholson. If it is, that makes it worth around £200,000.

If it isn't, it's probably worth around half that. We'll find out what someone is prepared to pay on Thursday 11 April.