Four years ago, an early Banksy stencil named Leopard and Barcode vanished from the side of a home in Bristol when the owners began renovating the property. According to the Guardian, the piece resurfaced this past Tuesday when a teacher at the Nailsea School in Somerset brought it to an exhibition.
The teacher is reportedly the wife of the architect who carefully removed the stencil. "The owner agreed so one afternoon he spent four hours cutting it out," see told the press. "We wrapped it in a blanket and have kept it under our bed ever since." She explained that the piece was taken out now to "showcase Nailsea School’s open evening, and to raise awareness of the school in the Bristol and North Somerset area."
A version of the stencil numbered 1 of 5 sold for nearly $123,000 in 2011, but this piece is believed to predate that set. The teacher and her husband are not sure if they will sell the piece, and she asked the Guardian not to reveal her identity, but given the demand for Banksy's work, it's only a matter of time before some eager dealer finds her and throws dollar bills at her face.
[via Guardian]
