GLASGOW—A deal is in its early stages — as officials at the National Galleries of Scotland are stressing — but the museum and art collector Anthony d'Offay are already one year into "secret" negotiations to transfer his renowned art collection to Scotland, according to press reports.

And discussions will likely last several more years, officials maintain.

D'Offay, who lives in London and stores much of his artwork there, owns "one of the greatest collections in private hands" the Herald newspaper in Glasgow notes. His collection comprises works by Andy Warhol, Gilbert and George, Ed Ruscha, Jeff Koons and Joseph Beuys — and the first "pickled" sheep by Damien Hirst.

The Herald reports that a "bargain" price of £100 million has been floated, as the national galleries hopes to secure at least part of the collection at a below-market price.

Observers in Scotland say the collection would be a major coup for the country, prompting the construction of a new modern art museum in Edinburgh or Glasgow to house 700 works from d'Offay's collection. The museum, some have said, would be on par with the Tate Modern in London.

The Scotsman reports that Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell and politicians from Glasgow and Edinburgh have even stepped into the negotiations, a sign of how serious the country is taking the opportunity — and how contentious the deal-making could get between the two cities.

Nonetheless, the director general of the national galleries, Sir Timothy Clifford, warned that to much press attention could hurt the negotiations.

"It's very early days. It's rather like when you are chasing butterflies, you don't whip out your net and chase it," he told the Scotsman.


FOR MORE CLICK:
The Herald: "Executive support talks over £100m art collection"
The Scotsman: "McConnell's bid for £100m art collection for Scotland"