Four obscure paintings by 'matchstick man' artist LS Lowry that have spent the last few years in a cupboard have sold for nearly £400,000.
The works - one of them a previously unseen painting - were bought by a husband and wife 45 years ago before Lowry became famous.
They hung the paintings they paid small sums for on the walls of their home - and watched the reputation of the Lancashire artist grow.
After they both died within the last three years, the artwork passed down to their four children, who stored them in a cupboard for safe-keeping until they decided to sell them.
One of the works - of a man posting a letter in a red postbox that was bought directly from Lowry in 1965 - sold for £165,000 at auction.
Although known of by Lowry fans, the oil painting has hardly ever been seen before as it was bought by the couple two years after it was painted.
Another, of a man pulling a cart, sold for £55,000 while one showing a mother pushing a pram through a crowd of people made a hefty £64,000.
