City’s heritage all set to go under the hammer in London

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service  
Chandigarh, October  18

A set of 10 “advocate and Press” armchairs, designed for the High Court in Chandigarh in 1955, has been put up for auctio in London. The auction of the armchairs is expected to fetch Rs 1.32 crore. If it does, this will the highest price fetched by any set of heritage  furniture in an auction held abroad in the  recent past.

This time, a London-based auction house has put up heritage furniture designed by Pierre Jeanneret, cousin of  world-famous architect. Le Corbusier, for sale. Seven items worth around Rs 2 crore have been included in the list for the auction, which begins tomorrow.

Among the other items put up for auction are a writing chair, designed for the science department and administrative offices at Panjab University, Chandigarh. The chair is expected to fetch Rs 5.14 lakh.

 A pair of chairs, designed for the Himalayan Hostel cafeteria and private residences in Chandigarh during 1955-1960, has also been put up for auction. These are expected to fetch Rs 11 lakh.  

A demountable bed, designed for MLA flats in 1955-56, is also being auctioned and is expected to fetch Rs 17 lakh. 

 Another item that has been put up for auction is an “administrative desk”, designed for administrative buildings of the UT. This has been placed together with a “cane seat wood back” chair, designed by Pierre Jeanneret and Eulie Chowdhury, for the High Court and the Panjab University library. It is expected to fetch Rs 20 lakh.