Chandigarh heritage furniture sold for Rs 26 lakh in US

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, March 22

Three sets of heritage furniture of the City Beautiful were auctioned in the US for Rs 26.66 lakh yesterday.

Seeking protection of heritage articles from being auctioned all over the world, Advocate Ajay Jagga has written to Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar. He said three furniture sets made by architect Le Corbusier’s cousin Pierre Jeanneret were auctioned in Chicago, the US, by the Wright auction house on March 20 for Rs 26.66 lakh.

The articles include a pair of occasional tables from the PGIMER, a set of eight office cane chairs and a pair of high stools from the scientific block of Panjab University, said Jagga mentioned in the letter.

He requested the minister that the Indian Embassies must be sensitised to our heritage, so that wherever information comes to them, they can, at least, raise objection.

The ongoing auctions can be stopped only through diplomatic channels and heritage articles, which were taken out in an illegal manner, should be brought back. All Indian embassies in foreign countries should be made aware of these matters and necessary guidelines issued to them, he added.