Renowned foreign auction houses have shoveled in millions through the auction of city’s heritage items.
During this month, Chicago-based Wright auction house sold furniture designed by the famed architect’s le Corbusier’s cousin Pierre Jeanneret. The auction fetched about $1,76,000 (Rs 1.07 crore). A dining table from the cafeteria of the PGIMER fetched $50,000 (Rs 30.61 lakh) at the auction. The auction house also auctioned seven lots of heritage items and earned $1,67,132 (Rs 1.02 crore). In 2010, 2011 and 2012 also, New York-based auction house—Phillips de Pury and Company, Paris-based auction house—Artcurial, Paris-based auction house—Marseilles had organized auctions of heritage items belonging to the city.
In 2011, the UT Administration had taken up the matter with British Embassy and French Embassy to put an end to the auction of the drawings, sketches and furniture designed by le Corbusier and his associate Pierre Jeanneret. Yet, the auction houses continued to put under the hammer lots of furniture designed by city’s creators.