A MAN who had a Dutch Master painting stolen from his home more than 20 years ago has failed in an Appeal Court bid to win compensation from auction house, Christies.

The Backgammon Players, by Jan Steen in 1667, was stolen from Phillipe Marcq's flat in London in 1979. But the work appeared in a Christies' catalogue for a sale in 1997. The Appeal Court ruled yesterday there was no policy ruling why Christies should pay.