He said he knew little about the artist's work but had assumed them to be genuine as they were signed and inscribed to the verso. He bought them for a five-figure sum from a second dealer, who has since refunded the money and returned the paintings to the original owner.
The whereabouts of the paintings is now unknown and the second dealer has refused to name his source, only stating that they were a collector who had bought them from "someone in Plymouth".
Prices for Lenkiewicz's works have rocketed since the artist's death and this is not the first time fakes have appeared. In 2005 ATG reported another fake Lenkiewicz self-portrait that also originated from south-west England.
The Lenkiewicz Foundation ask anyone who has been offered these two paintings or knows anything about them to contact them on 01752 221450 or email info@lenkiewiczfoundation.org.
