Probate valuation reveals £35,000 painting

A probate valuation carried out at a house near Oxford has unearthed a valuable painting, the significance of which the owners were previously unaware.

Will-writing is often accompanied by a probate evaluation, which helps individuals determine their personal wealth and that of their property in order to accurately reflect this when drawing up a testament.

The Antiques Trade Gazette reports the wartime work by C R W Nevinson is "iconic, sought after and scarce", describing this as a "potent commercial combination".

Probate activities can help provide for family and loved ones after a death and surprises such as this one might mean individuals are wealthier than they thought, with the £35,000 price tag a "conservative estimate" for the artwork.

A family in the south-west had a similar experience recently, when a probate valuation brought to light the worth of an antique bench made by a renowned London firm, which they had previously thought to be worthless.