NORTH ATTLEBORO - School officials will make a recommendation as early as next week on how to use the money raised if a Russian masterpiece is ultimately sold.

The school committee has already voted to sell "Afghans," an Alexandre Iacovleff painting that had been hanging in the Community School auditorium since it was donated by W. Charles Thompson in 1951. The 7-foot by 10-foot painting was removed from the school in February after school officials learned it could sell at auction for more than $1 million.

A final decision on the sale of the painting rests with selectmen, who have said they would prefer to have a comprehensive plan on what should happen to the funds prior to voting on whether to sell the artwork.

Advertising for auction house

The school department is currently advertising for an auction house that would be willing to handle the sale of the painting and hopes to award a contract next week. The deadline for responses is Monday, but thus far the school department has not received any bidders. "Once the contract is ready, we should send it to selectmen with a communique on what we'd like to do with the proceeds from the sale," said school committee Chairman David Manoogian. "It's not an edict, just our strong recommendation because it's ultimately up to town meeting."

Several proposals for the use of the proceeds have been bandied about by town officials but nothing concrete has been discussed. The idea most often suggested is the creation of a trust fund that would be used for promotion of the fine arts. Other ideas include donating the money to the North Attleboro Education Fund or placing it in the town's stabilization or rainy day savings account.

The school committee plans to meet within the next two weeks to discuss its recommendation for the money and to award a contract to a bidder. The process is moving swiftly in the hopes that the painting can be sold at auction in April, according to Superintendent Richard Smith.

Among the requirements is that the auction house have an international presence and experience handling the sale of major Russian artwork. The school department is also requiring the auction house to provide a full-size duplicate of the painting to be placed in the original frame.

The school department did not include a minimum sale price in the advertisement, instead preferring to have that item negotiated in the contract.

"We're certain the vendor is going to be able to provide us with excellent advice on that," Smith said.