$5,000 reward offered for return of Picasso piece pilfered from Art Miami

An art fair that became the scene of a crime when a Pablo Picasso piece was snatched this week offered a reward Saturday for the return of the work.

Art Miami says it will pay $5,000 to whoever brings back the 1956 engraved silver plate, Visage aux Mains (Face with Hands) to the fair by 6 p.m. Sunday.

"No questions asked," said Nick Korniloff, the fair's director and partner.

The fair's main office is located at 3101 NE First Ave. in Midtown Miami. It's the best-known satellite fair to Art Basel Miami Beach, part of Miami Art Week.

The plate, valued at $85,000, was stolen from the Amsterdam-based Leslie Smith Gallery at the fair sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning. It is one of a series of 20 plates crafted by the Spanish master.

Miami police are investigating the theft.

Korniloff said the reward would be a good deal for any thief considering melting the silver piece. That silver would only sell for about $400, he said.

The work has been reported to a global stolen art database, to make it more difficult to sell.

This story was originally published December 6, 2014 at 1:38 PM with the headline "$5,000 reward offered for return of Picasso piece pilfered from Art Miami."