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Famous Stolen Rockwell Painting Back In New Jersey Family's Possession

By KYW Newsradio's Kristen Johanson and CBS3's David Spunt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia area family now has a famous painting back in their possession.

Agents with the Philadelphia FBI Art Crime Team recently recovered a Norman Rockwell painting, almost 41 years after someone stole the piece.

EXCLUSIVE: N.J. Family Searching Since '70s For Stolen Norman Rockwell Painting

The painting, dating to 1919, is known as "Taking A Break" or "Lazy Bones." It is back in the hands of the Grant family. Someone broke into their Cherry Hill home on June 30, 1976 and stole the piece.

"The house was burglarized, and the painting, amongst other things, was stolen," said former FBI Agent Bob Bazin.

Thirty-five years later, Bazin was contacted by Grant's family to help track down the painting.

"It's beautiful. Everything I remembered and more," owner Susan (Grant) Murta told Eyewitness News.

Murta says the story of the painting began two decades before it was stolen, when her father bought it in 1954. He was playing pool and when he pulled the cue back, it went through the painting. He bought it for $100. Now, experts say it could fetch more than $1 million. It graced the cover of The  Saturday Evening Post in 1919.

Bazin pushed the story out to the media, and just recently, the Rockwell was found.

"Because the pool cube hole is still in the painting, where it was originally, 40 years ago," said Bazin.

After seeing a photograph in the news last year, a man called the FBI and said he bought the painting decades ago. He had no idea it was stolen, and he returned it to the FBI Art Crime Team. Authorities say he's not facing any charges.

FBI agents will not identify the thief from 1976. They continue to work that part of the case.

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