Alfred Juergens Treasure Trove Discovered in Chicago House

CHICAGO—Officials sorting through the Chicago home of Margaret Tikalsky, 82, discovered an unprecedented collection of watercolors, sketches, and oils on canvas and wood by American impressionist Alfred Juergens, the Chicago Tribune reports. The 85 artworks were shoved into crates and closets, under beds, and in the attic, and crammed onto the walls of the house Tikalsky was forced to move out of because officials had declared it uninhabitable. Tikalsky said her father, Francis Tikalsky, was a friend of the artist and had collected his works since the 1920s. Richard Norton of the Richard Norton Gallery said the Juergens oil paintings are probably worth between $2,500 and $15,000 each, but that number is hard to determine. "One of the issues has been, there haven't been many important Juergens paintings that surface for sale,” he said. “If 70 have been in one spot for all these years, that would explain why. This will renew appreciation for the artist."