For the first time in 30 years, six important paintings of scenes from Jewish life, by the artist Alfred Wolmark, are to go on sale.
Five of the paintings, thought lost, were found in a London attic in 1982 and were snapped up by the Stamford Hill art lover and entrepreneur Marton Braun. Mr Braun, who has added another Wolmark to the original five, is now selling his collection at Sotheby’s in November to fund a new venture — mass producing his parev ice cream brand, Antonio Russo.
Mr Braun said: “I am an Orthodox Jew through and through, but I am also a helpless lover of art. I loved these pictures, they were a part of me and I will miss them very much.
“I am selling them out of necessity. As they say in Fiddler on the Roof, ‘it’s no shame to be poor, but no great honour either’”. The pictures are expected to fetch around £250,000 at auction.