Hitler's Still-Life Watercolor Withdrawn From LA Auction

The dictator had once been a struggling artist. One of his old watercolor paintings was to be auctioned in Los Angeles from an auction house. While the withdrawal was confirmed, it was not commented upon by Nate D Sanders, a Los Angeles-based 'memorabilia collector.'

The auction was supposed to be online, even as bidding for the canvas began at $30,000 (£27,000). It was sold last November for $161,000 (£147,000) at a German auction house, and was bought by a private buyer from the Middle East.

Hitler painted the canvas in 1912, when he was still a struggling artist in Vienna. He was soon to become the Nazi leader. It shows a bright floral collection of flowers in a blue pitcher, with orange, red and soft pink flowers, which was an unusual subject at a period when Hitler was concentrating on landscapes and architecture.

One corner of the canvas has his signature inscribed on it, with 'A Hitler" signed in red ink. The auction house described the work as in "near fine condition".

The painting was among 2,000 works that he made as an artist in Vienna, but most of the paintings did not last through World War II.

Among other items that Sanders is selling, there are two Hitler-related items, including a signed, two-volume set of 'Mein Kampf' books and another change-of-address sheet from August 1909, with his signature. Hitler's last known address before he registered himself as "homeless" four months following that. On the document, Hitler writes "writer" as occupation.

Sending out bids for his two-volume book was expected to start at $35,000 (£32,000), while the document was expected to be sold at $20,000 (£18,000).

When he was 18 years in 1908, Hitler shifted to Vienna to become an artist. However, he was rejected twice by the Vienna Academy of Art, which prevented him from becoming a professional painter. Hence, as he was "struggling and poor", he earned a pittance selling his paintings at a low rate to tourists.

Hitler then ran into Samuel Morgenstern, a Jewish art dealer in Vienna, who got interested in his work and believed that he had talent, and sold his paintings to rich Jews.

Two decades later, when Hitler took over the reins of power as Germany's antisemitic leader, he did not did not let off Morgenstern's gallery, which was taken over by the Nazis. In 1941, Morgenstern with his wife was packed off to Łódź ghetto in Poland. In 1943, Morgenstern died. The painting has his name stamped at the back, said the auction house, according to theguardian.

The current sale of the painting is not known, apart from the fact that he is a private collector. It is not clear how the seller had the canvas with him.