Banksy graffiti auction halted after UK outcry

This is an undated image of an art work from British artist Banksy made available by Haringey Council Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013. The stencil by the famed, secretive graffiti artist of a young boy sewing Union Jack bunting on an antique sewing machine appeared on the side of a north London bargain store last May. Soon the gritty Turnpike Lane area was drawing art lovers keen to see Banksy's typically cheeky take on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the British throne. Last week it vanished, leaving nothing but a rectangle of exposed brick — only to reappear on the website of a Miami auction house. Listed as "Slave Labor (Bunting Boy)," it is due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. (AP Photo/Haringey Council) NO ARCHIVE
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron leaves his official residence at 10 Downing Street in central London, on his way to the Houses of Parliament to address lawmakers, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
FILE - Undated handout photo of the late nurse Jacintha Saldanha of King Edward VII hospital, provided by Saldanha's family in Shirva north of Mangalore, India after she was found dead in central London on Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. An inquest on Thursday Dec 13 2012 heard that Saldanha was found hanging by the neck from a wardrobe door at her room at the hospital. Australian radio hosts managed to impersonate Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles and received confidential information about the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition, in a hoax phone call to the King Edward VII hospital where the pregnant Duchess was staying and which was broadcast on-air. (AP Photo/Saldanha Family, File)
A policeman stands on duty outside Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A policeman stands on duty outside Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A policeman stands on duty outside as media gather at Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha,s death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A student of a nursing college places a candle in front of a picture depicting nurse Jacintha Saldanha, during a candle-lit vigil organized by a local politician in Bangalore, India, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. An inquest into the apparent suicide of Saldanha, who was duped by a hoax call from Australian DJs about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, heard Thursday that she was found hanging in her room, had wrist injuries and left three notes. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
People look at section of wall Saturday Feb.23, 2013 where a Banksy mural was removed from the side of a Poundland shop north London in mysterious circumstances, only to reappear on the website of a Miami auction house. Listed as "Slave Labor (Bunting Boy)," it was due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. Slave Labour, which shows a young boy hunched over a sewing machine making Union Jack bunting, appeared on the wall last May, just before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. (AP Photo/John Stillwell/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES

This is an undated image of an art work from British artist Banksy made available by Haringey Council Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013. The stencil by the famed, secretive graffiti artist of a young boy sewing Union Jack bunting on an antique sewing machine appeared on the side of a north London bargain store last May. Soon the gritty Turnpike Lane area was drawing art lovers keen to see Banksy's typically cheeky take on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the British throne. Last week it vanished, leaving nothing but a rectangle of exposed brick — only to reappear on the website of a Miami auction house. Listed as "Slave Labor (Bunting Boy)," it is due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. (AP Photo/Haringey Council) NO ARCHIVE

This is an undated image of an art work from British artist Banksy made available by Haringey Council Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013. The stencil by the famed, secretive graffiti artist of a young boy sewing Union Jack bunting on an antique sewing machine appeared on the side of a north London bargain store last May. Soon the gritty Turnpike Lane area was drawing art lovers keen to see Banksy's typically cheeky take on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the British throne. Last week it vanished, leaving nothing but a rectangle of exposed brick — only to reappear on the website of a Miami auction house. Listed as "Slave Labor (Bunting Boy)," it is due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. (AP Photo/Haringey Council) NO ARCHIVE
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron leaves his official residence at 10 Downing Street in central London, on his way to the Houses of Parliament to address lawmakers, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
FILE - Undated handout photo of the late nurse Jacintha Saldanha of King Edward VII hospital, provided by Saldanha's family in Shirva north of Mangalore, India after she was found dead in central London on Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. An inquest on Thursday Dec 13 2012 heard that Saldanha was found hanging by the neck from a wardrobe door at her room at the hospital. Australian radio hosts managed to impersonate Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles and received confidential information about the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition, in a hoax phone call to the King Edward VII hospital where the pregnant Duchess was staying and which was broadcast on-air. (AP Photo/Saldanha Family, File)
A policeman stands on duty outside Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A policeman stands on duty outside Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A policeman stands on duty outside as media gather at Westminster Coroner's Court where the initial inquest into nurse Jacintha Saldanha,s death is being opened, in London,Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Saldanha, the nurse who passed a hoax call into the hospital room of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself three days later, with a coroner's officer saying Tuesday she was found hanging by the neck and a detective saying she left three notes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A student of a nursing college places a candle in front of a picture depicting nurse Jacintha Saldanha, during a candle-lit vigil organized by a local politician in Bangalore, India, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. An inquest into the apparent suicide of Saldanha, who was duped by a hoax call from Australian DJs about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, heard Thursday that she was found hanging in her room, had wrist injuries and left three notes. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
People look at section of wall Saturday Feb.23, 2013 where a Banksy mural was removed from the side of a Poundland shop north London in mysterious circumstances, only to reappear on the website of a Miami auction house. Listed as "Slave Labor (Bunting Boy)," it was due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. Slave Labour, which shows a young boy hunched over a sewing machine making Union Jack bunting, appeared on the wall last May, just before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. (AP Photo/John Stillwell/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES

Banksy graffiti auction halted after UK outcry

Print Page Updated: 01:50:41 PM, Sun 24 February 2013

LONDON (AP) — A mural by secretive graffiti artist has been withdrawn from an auction sale after a campaign by London residents to reclaim it.

The stencil of a young boy sewing Union Jack bunting on an antique sewing machine vanished earlier this month from the side of a north London bargain store. Only exposed brick remained at the site, but the artwork has appeared on the website of a Miami auction house.

The mural was due to be sold Saturday with an estimated price of between $500,000 and $700,000. Fine Art Auctions Miami later said that the item was withdrawn from sale, though it did not explain why.

Claire Kober, leader of local authority Haringey Council, said it will now try to bring the artwork back to the community.

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