Chandigarh, October 5
In yet another auction of UT’s heritage items, as many as 20 artefacts from the city went under the hammer in France yesterday. The items fetched Rs 3.81 crore.
Ajay Jagga, a member of the Heritage Items Protection Cell of the Chandigarh Administration, said the artefacts, which were designed by Pierre Jeanneret, included a desk, sofa, lounge chairs, 10 box chairs, table, storage cabinet, committee chairs, library chairs, bench, easy chairs, screen, three stools, three high stools, coffee table, committee armchairs, etc.
He said a table designed by Pierre Jeanneret fetched the highest amount of Rs 70.10 lakh during the auction conducted by Piasa.
Seeking protection of the heritage items, in a letter to Jawed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to France, Jagga stated: “I am submitting this communication, in continuation of my advance intimation in order to stop the auction of national heritage (Chandigarh Heritage Articles) from being auctioned in France, as mandated in the Constitution of India, under article 49 in this regard.”
However, the auction was conducted as per schedule and went without any resistance from the Government of India and in violation of the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
“In view of the above, the matter needs to be probed as to how the heritage of Chandigarh has been taken beyond the boundaries of India i.e. France despite the prohibitory orders of the MHA,” he added.
On June 4, at least 28 heritage items the city were auctioned for over Rs 4 crore in France. The artefacts, designed by architects Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, included a coffee table, a classroom chair, easy armchairs, a rare table, senate committee chairs, an easy table, cane chairs, a bookcase, etc.
On May 12, as many as nine heritage items from the UT were auctioned for Rs 1.17 crore in New Jersey, the US. The costliest item was a floor lamp, which was sold for Rs 22.93 lakh. Similarly, in a Chicago auction on March 30, nine
heritage items went under the hammer for Rs 1.64 crore. A set of six stools remained the costliest item at Rs 18.70 lakh.
Pierre Jeanneret creations
The artefacts, which were designed by Pierre Jeanneret, included a desk, sofa, lounge chairs, 10 box chairs, table, storage cabinet, committee chairs, library chairs, bench, easy chairs, screen, three stools, three high stools, coffee table, committee armchairs, etc.
Previous auctions
June 4: 28 items auctioned for over Rs 4 crore in France
May 12: Nine artefacts sold for Rs 1.17 crore in New Jersey, US. A floor lamp fetched Rs 22.93 lakh
March 30: Nine items went under the hammer for Rs 1.64 crore in Chicago, US. A set of six stools remained the costliest item at Rs 18.70 lakh
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