Could you have a hidden treasure?

Sister found a hidden treasure when clearing an aunt's house after she had to go into a care home.

Nearly all the stuff was nice enough but virtually worthless, so she got some house clearance people in to take the bulk of it.

However there was a large painting, wrapped in brown paper and stashed behind a chest of drawers, which the house-clearance people seemed rather interested in, so sister took it to be valued.

We recognised it as something that had hung in our granny's rarely used sitting room - and I remembered our granny saying how she really liked it.

It turned out to be by quite a well known Victorian artist, and valuable enough that it had to go to auction, since sister and BiL with power of attorney were obliged to realise its value for the aunt's funds.

My granny loved sales, and I doubt that she can have paid much, since she was never well off, but she must have had a very good eye.

So given that I liked it anyway, plus was a bit sentimental about it, and was feeling fairly flush at the time, I put in a very last-minute telephone bid - and got it.
I think my granny would be pleased that it's stayed in the family.

I only "collect" something because I love it and I want to give it a longer life. My china, for example, is put to use unless it is very fragile. I hope my grandchildren will enjoy it and not just see it as a quick way to make a pound or two. They already show signs of liking and appreciating it. Most of it is art deco and older. The majority being Shelley or Wileman pre Shelley. Some items the same as mine on eBay sell at a stupidly high price in the USA or Australia, (excluding postage) but that only upsets me, not makes me happy.