Surprise Portrait

A portrait of a Brussels magistrate was bought in an antique shop in Cheshire, England, about 12 years ago for $575. The buyer took the portrait to the British Antiques Roadshow, where he was told it was probably a study for a painting by Anthony van Dyck, the famous 17th-century Flemish painter. Now the portrait has been appraised for close to $660,000. The owner of the painting, a priest, says he hopes to sell the painting to buy a set of bells for his church. (The New York Times, Dec. 30, 2013)