I thought that last post summed it up really well.
Most admirers might prefer it with the colorful (and very well executed) painted scene. But the small percentage of people likely to shell out for this piece would probably feel more comfortable buying it in its original state. It's all about identifying your target market (which, in this case is a tiny percentage of the collecting universe).
That said, I would ony remove the paint if an expert can assure removal with no ill effects. Someone did a wonderful job painting it, so it's sad to contemplate. Tough decisions tend to occur when we transition from collectors to sellers. And we all do at some point.
