Forger's garden shed and art work recreated in exhibition

19:01:20 25th January 2010

A recreation of a master forger's artwork and the garden shed he used to work in are to go on display.

Forgeries by Shaun Greenhalgh and other famous fakers will form an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Greenhalgh's infamous Amarna Princess statuette forms the centrepiece of the exhibition, which was bought by Bolton Council in 2003 for £440,000 but was later revealed as a fake.

The exhibition, presented by the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit, will also feature a recreation of the forger's garden shed, where he designed and made his works of art.

Detective sergeant Vernon Rapley, head of the police unit, told the BBC that the collection demonstrates art crime is not just a topic "for historic consideration".

"We hope that by highlighting some of the new techniques criminals use, we can educate people in what to look out for and encourage greater reporting of these crimes to police."

Between 1989 and 2006, Greenhalgh produced a significant amount of forged art work. Working with his brother and elderly parents, he successfully sold his fakes internationally to museums, auction houses and private buyers, accumulating nearly a million pounds.

He was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison in November 2007.