1.
GV CHRISTIES
0.08

2.
TV INT..POLICE GUARDS STAND BESIDE REMBRANDT (PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S SON TITUS)
0.13

3.
SV DITTO
0.17

4.
CU ZOOM IN TO PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST SON TITUS
0.29

5.
CU ADMIRER LOOKS ON
0.34

6.
SCU PORTRAIT OF THE JESTER CALABAZAS (2 SHOTS)
0.52

7.
CU PAN OVER THE PROCESSION OF THE CALVARY (2 SHOTS)
1.05

8.
SV THE ABOVE
1.10

9.
CU PAN A FAMILY PARTY (2 SHOTS)
1.20

10.
SV THE ABOVE
1.24

11.
GV PEOPLE AT CHARING CROSS STATION
1.29

12.
LV THREE TYPES CARRYING WHAT LOOKS LIKE PAINTINGS
1.34

13.
LV SUSPECT WALKS FROM STATION WITH PAINTING UNDER ARM POLICE MOVE IN AFTER HIM
1.43

14.
SV POLICE ARREST HIM CAMERA MOVES IN WITH POLICE
1.52

15.
CU SUSPECT WITH POLICE (2 SHOTS)
2.01

16.
SV POLICE TAKE SUSPECT AND HIS PARCEL AWAY
2.09



Initials DS/V/B/AW/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: CHRISTIE'S, THE LONDON AUCTIONEERS, EXPECT TO OBTAIN THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER PAID IN BRITAIN FOR A PAINTING IN AN AUCTION TOMORROW (FRIDAY). SEVERAL OLD MASTERS FROM THE COOK COLLECTION GO UNDER THE HAMMER, INCLUDING THE FAMOUS "PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S SON TITUS", BY REMBRANDT.

AMONG THE OTHER PAINTINGS FOR SALE ARE WORKS BY HOGARTH, TURNER, ALBRECHT DURER AND VALAZQUEZ.

THE EXISTING RECORD IN BRITAIN WAS SET SIX YEARS AGO WHEN RUBENS 'ADORATION' WAS SOLD FOR 275,000 POUNDS STERLING. THIS TIME, A FIGURE OF 800,000 POUNDS HAS BEEN MENTIONED FOR THE REMBRANDT, WHICH WAS ACQUIRED BY THE COOK COLLECTION IN 1915. IN FACT, IT WAS ANOTHER REMBRANDT, 'ARISTOTLE CONTEMPLATING THE DUST OF HOMER', WHICH FETCHED WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER PAID FOR A PAINTING...2,300,000 DOLLARS (821,000 POUNDS STERLING).

"PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S SON TITUS", WAS PAINTED ABOUT 1650 AND MEASURES 24 INCHES BY 20 INCHES (72CMS BY 20CMS). IT SHOWS REMBRANDT'S SON TITUS, A ROSY-CHEEKED BOY AGED ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD, WHOSE MOTHER HAD DIED ONLY A YEAR AFTER HE WAS BORN.

ON THE EVE OF THE SALE, THE AUCTIONEERS SAID THAT CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AMONG DEALERS AND BUYERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC HAD BEEN AROUSED, AND IT SEEMED LIKELY THAT THE PAINTING WOULD BE LOST TO BRITAIN.

THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION THAT BRITAIN'S NATIONAL GALLERY WILL BE IN THE FIELD TOMORROW. THE GALLERY RECENTLY PAID 500,000 POUNDS STERLING FOR CEZANNE'S "THE BATHERS", AND ALREADY POSSESSES A FINE COLLECTION OF REMBRANDT'S WORK.

IN THE MEANTIME, ANOTHER FALSE ALARM IN THE HUNT FOR THE NATIONAL GALLERY'S MISSING PORTRAIT OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, BY GOYA. THE PAINTING, VALUED AT 140,000 POUNDS STERLING WAS STOLEN IN AUGUST 1961.

TODAY, SCOTLAND YARD RECEIVED A TIP-OFF SAYING THE PAINTING WOULD BE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHARING CROSS UNDERGROUND STATION THIS AFTERNOON. THE POLICE PUT A CLOSE WATCH ON THE STATION AND ANYONE CARRYING PARCELS.

AMONG THE CROWD, WAS A YOUNG MAN WITH A FLAT OBLONG PACKAGE WHO HURRIED AWAY AFTER BEING CHALLENGED BY WATCHING DETECTIVES. A CHASE ENSUED, AND DETECTIVES EVENTUALLY CAUGHT THE MAN WHO WAS LATER TAKEN AWAY FOR QUESTIONING.

THE MAN WAS LATER RELEASED AND THE PACKAGE DID NOT CONTAIN THE GOYA. YESTERDAY AN ANONYMOUS LETTER TO A PRESS NEWS AGENCY SAID THE 154 YEAR OLD PAINTING WOULD BE RETURNED ON CONDITIONS, INCLUDING ONE WHICH ASKED THAT IT BE PUT ON PUBLIC VIEW FOR A MONTH AT FIVE SHILLINGS A VIEWING - THE FEE TO GO TO CHARITY.