• Family discovers rare Rembrandt print in late father’s home
• Preparatory etching estimated between £10,000 and £20,000 (≈ $12,200 – $24,400)

A British family uncovered an old print by the renowned artist Rembrandt decades after the death of their father, who was both an artist and stage designer.

Alan Barlow, the family’s late father, had kept large Victorian plan chests in his Norfolk studio containing papers and sketches he created, alongside art pieces the family had acquired but never displayed.

After moving from Norfolk to Cambridge and deciding to sell their parents’ home, the family began sorting through the studio’s contents.

During the process, they found a folder of old prints, including a faint 24 × 21 cm etching depicting a man in rich fur robes seated at a gold-weighing table, while a boy kneels at his feet offering a bag of gold.

Experts recognized Rembrandt’s distinctive style, known for etching drawings on copper plates and printing them.

Although unframed and never mentioned by their father, the print was marked as an original Rembrandt on its mount.

When submitted to a local auction house, a specialist identified a “Strasbourg Lily” watermark on the paper, also found on other Rembrandt prints. Under magnification, black chalk lines around the figure of Jan Uytenbogaert, Holland’s chief tax collector, confirmed it was a preparatory print of the famous 1639 etching The Goldweigher.

The expert estimated its value in the thousands of pounds, with the upcoming auction on December 3 valued between £10,000 and £20,000 (≈ $12,200 – $24,400).

The family expressed astonishment and joy at the discovery, noting that the print represents a valuable piece of their father’s artistic legacy and will be cherished by collectors of Rembrandt’s works.