CHANDIGARH: City-based heritage expert Ajay
Jagga has lodged a complaint with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement against auction of heritage furniture belonging to Chandigarh in a New York-based auction house.
A total of three furniture items were sold for Rs 36 lakh during an auction held on May 23. Jagga stated that the furniture items are being taken abroad without following the legal procedures. He urged the agency to investigate the matter as it is pertaining to financial loss, loss of prestige and heritage.
Jagga has also moved a petition in
Rajya Sabha against sale of artefacts — furniture, manholes, concrete fixture lights — belonging to Chandigarh in foreign countries. In the petition, Jagga stated that the sale of heritage items is going unchecked for last 10 years in foreign countries, the UK, the US and France for last more than 10 years, but no one from Central government tried to stop.
Since 2007, a large number of furniture items designed by
Pierre Jeanneret and
Le Corbusier for the varsity had been auctioned in various auction houses in France, US and
England. Furniture items were purchased by foreign nationals at low prices and later auctioned them at higher price.
On March 16, heritage furniture was sold for Rs 18 lakh at a French-based auction house, while on January 20, furniture items were sold for around Rs 20 lakh at a New York-based auction house. On September 18, 2017, six furniture items designed by Pierre Jeanneret were sold for Rs 13 lakh at a US-based auction house. On May 9, 2017, six furniture items designed by Pierre Jeanneret were sold for Rs 1.5 crore at Phillips, at a London-based auction house. On January 22, 2017, furniture items designed by Pierre Jeanneret were sold for Rs 65.26 lakh at Rago Arts and Auction Centre, a New Jersey-based auction house.
Representative image