The hotel made the discovery last weekend after noticing the photograph wasn't hung properly and the portrait's frame did not match the others from Karsh that are also hung in the Chateau Laurier's Reading Lounge.
Taken in December 1941, the portrait remains on the British five-pound note and has appeared on stamps and magazine covers. Ottawa police say they are investigating the theft.While Wittman does not expect the photo to bring in that much money on the secondary market, he acknowledged the unique story behind the photo could attract collectors.
Karsh famously took Churchill's cigar from him before taking the photo on Parliament Hill, creating the scowl on the prime minister's face the photographer ultimately captured on film. Wittman said he expects the investigation to include a forensic analysis of any fingerprints, a review of surveillance footage at the hotel and nearby locations, looking at who had access to the photo and what security measures were in place to secure it on the wall, as well as potentially tracing the frame back to its place of purchase."Ultimately, unless it's destroyed, it's still in the marketplace," he said.
What the hell was the original doing in a hotel in the first place ? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve seen in a while
Sold before it left..somebody suffering from ptsd from the convoy honking i betcha..no crime in Ottawa ..damn noncomformist trucker types musta done it.. $nicker...
The point that your expert didn't mention is that they needed a replacement. That needed some planning.
Why are there no video cameras on the floor where this portrait was? Are there no cameras in and around the hotel? Before this do they do regular checks on all the portraits? This must be an inside job!
INSIDE JOB!!!