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N. Attleboro Residents Urge Town To Sell Painting

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Aug 6, 2008 8:44 am US/Eastern

N. Attleboro Residents Urge Town To Sell Painting

NORTH ATTLEBORO (AP) ― A group of North Attleborough residents is urging the town's select board to sell a valuable painting that was discovered hanging in a local school.

Melanie Samuel says residents plan to present a petition signed by more than 200 registered voters at Thursday's board meeting.

Samuel says the masterpiece by Russian artist Alexandre Iacovleff, entitled "Afghans" should be sold and the money used to support arts programs in the schools.

It is estimated the painting could fetch more than $1 million at auction.

The school committee voted to sell the work after a local man brought its value to the attention of town officials in February 2007. But the board of selectmen voted to keep the painting.

The work is currently under the care of Sotheby's auctioneers, where it was appraised at $600,000 to $800,000.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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