Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe UPPSALA, Sweden, June 15 (UPI) -- A Swedish auction house said a Russian painting believed to be worthless by its owner sold for $1.2 million at an auction. Knut Knutson of the Uppsala Auction House said the anonymous seller, described as "an ordinary Swede," had the painting hanging on his wall for nearly a decade and was considering donating it to charity until he learned its worth, The Local reported Wednesday. Advertisement "When we told him what it was worth, the air in the room turned electric," Knutson said. "It was one of those moments when you wish you had a camera and could film what happened. He stood up, and then sat back down again saying 'You are jesting, you can't really mean that,'" Knutson said. The work was identified as "The Battle of Bomarsund," created in 1858 by Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky. The painting was sold Tuesday for $1.2 million to a Russian collector. Read More Nude painting pulled from civic building Bridge phallus wins Russian art award Artist told to remove nudes from park Suit: Drunk courier lost $1.3M painting
