The Banksy mural, depicting a boy hunched over a sewing machine making Union Jack bunting, disappeared from Whymark Avenue earlier this month.
It had been expected to be auctioned in Miami later but the auction house has halted the sale.
And a new mural had appeared on the street wall where the image was removed!
As reported in an earlier post, Slave Labour – the mural that was removed – appeared on the wall in Wood Green, north London, last May, shortly before the celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Fine Art Auctions Miami (FAAM) confirmed to the BBC that the Banksy mural had been withdrawn from sale.
However, a spokesman gave no reason for its withdrawal.
“Although there are no legal issues whatsoever regarding the sale of lots six and seven by Banksy, FAAM convinced its consignors to withdraw these lots from the auction and take back the power of authority of these works,” he said.
The new mural that appeared on the north London wall depicts a woman in a nun’s habit, but it is not known if it is by Banksy.
BBC Oxford producer Andy Gordon was visiting relatives on Saturday when he snapped the newest addition to Whymark Avenue in Haringey.
“We thought we were just going along to see the gap in the wall and were surprised to see something else had appeared.
“There was obviously a lot of affection for it in Wood Green and a lot of people were very disappointed when their Banksy disappeared.”
He said the new mural had appeared in exactly the same spot as the Banksy artwork.
Local councillor Alan Strickland said residents had been left “really shocked and really astonished” at the disappearance of the mural of the boy.
“Banksy gave that piece of art to our community, and people came from all over London to see it,” he said.
Banksy’s work has been at the centre of a number of thefts over the years.
In May 2010, two pieces were stolen from a gallery in London, after a man used a road sign to smash a glass window at the front of the building.
A year later, a piece known as Sperm Alarm was ripped off the wall of a hotel in Central London, and appeared on eBay for £17,000. It was never recovered.
For more information please check out www.turnpikeartgroup.co.uk
Image credit © Turnpike Art Group
