Auction house withdraws Banksy art, BBC reports

The BBC is citing a Miami auction house as saying it has withdrawn from sale an artwork by secretive graffiti artist Banksy that was removed from the side of a north London store.

The stencil of a young boy sewing Union Jack bunting vanished earlier this month, upsetting art lovers in the gritty Turnpike Lane area. It reappeared on the website of the Miami auction house, Fine Art Auctions, due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000.

But the BBC reported that the auction house confirmed the piece had been withdrawn from sale. It reported the auction house would not give a reason.

Poundland, the store that occupies the building, had said it had nothing to do with the removal. (AP)