Search

Boy accidentally smashes 3500-year old artefact

A 3500-year old jar has been smashed to pieces after a four-year-old boy accidentally knocked it over during a trip to a museum in Israel. The Hecht Museum in Haifa told the BBC that the artefact dates back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500BC - and was considered a rare find because it was so intact. It had been on display near the entrance of the museum without any protective glass around it, as the museum believes there is a “special charm” in showcasing archaeological finds “without obstructions”. The boy's father, Alex, told the publication that his son had only "pulled the jar slightly" because he was "curious about what was inside", causing it to fall. He also said that he was "in shock" to see his son next to the ruined artefact and initially thought "it wasn't my child that did it". After calming his child down, he spoke to a security guard who confirmed what happened. The museum stated they would not be charging the family and they've even invited the child back to the exhibition for an organised tour after the incident occurred a few days ago. “There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo from The Hecht Museum told the BBC. “In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.” A conservation specialist has also been brought on board to restore the jar, which will be returned to the museum "in a short time". The boy's father said they will feel "relieved" to see the jar restored but added they are "sorry" because "it will no longer be the same item". “Despite the rare incident” the museum told the publication that they intend to continue displaying items without barriers or glass walls, where possible. The ancient jar was likely originally used to carry local supplies like wine and olive oil and predates the time of the Biblical King David and King Solomon and is distinctive of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Images: Hecht Museum

Travel Trouble

Art expert fired over gross underestimation of artefact

A French art expert has been fired after grossly undervaluing a Chinese vase at 4,000 times less than its sale price. The vase in question, which was originally estimated at €2,000 ($3,119 AUD), sold for €9 million ($14,000,000 AUD) at French Osenat auction in Fontainebleau house in early October. The original estimate reflected the expert’s view that it was a 20th-century decorative piece, however buyers suspected that it might date back further to the 18th-century. Despite the date discrepancy, it is still unclear as to what drove the price so much higher. “The expert made a mistake. One person alone against 300 interested Chinese buyers cannot be right,” auction house president Jean-Pierre Osenat told T<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/07/why-chinese-vase-valued-at-euros-2000-sold-for-euros-8m-france">he Guardian</a> last week. “He was working for us. He no longer works for us. It was, after all, a serious mistake.” The anonymous seller found the Chinese ‘Tianqiuping’ style vase while clearing out her mother’s estate. While the dragon and cloud motif is greatly sought after among Asian collectors, some believe to have spotted a stamp belonging to 18th-century Chinese emperor Qianlong on the vase. “We don’t know whether [the vase] is old or not or why it sold for such a price,” explained Cédric Laborde, the director of the auction house’s Asian arts department. “The valuation corresponded to what the expert thought. In China, copying something, like an 18th-century vase, is also an art.” The unnamed and now-fired expert is reportedly standing by his original valuation of the Chinese vase. Image credits: Getty Images / Osenat

Art

United States returns stolen artefacts to Cambodia

The United States have given back 30 artefacts that were allegedly stolen by a late antiquities dealer, who had been accused of leading a trafficking network that resold objects that were looted from the country. Among the objects that were officially returned to the country was a 10th-century sculpture of the Hindu god Skanda atop a peacock. Deeming the work a “masterpiece,” authorities in New York alleged that the late antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford had stolen the sculpture in 1997 and subsequently sold it for $1.5 million. The Skanda sculpture had come from the ancient Khmer capital of Koh Ker, which is also where a 10th-century sculpture of Ganesha that allegedly passed through Latchford’s hands was once located. The Ganesha sculpture was also given back to Cambodia, along with several other artefacts. While the US District Attorney’s office did not place a monetary value on the artefacts, the works returned were of great spiritual and artistic significance. Ricky J. Patel, a special agent with Homeland Security, said in a statement, “These antiquities we returned were ripped from their country. Beyond their extraordinary beauty and craftsmanship, many are sacred artefacts pried from temples and palaces to be smuggled across borders and peddled by those seeking profit, without any regard to the intangible value they have to the people of their homeland.” The artefacts are due to go on display in a museum in Cambodia later this year. Image credits: Getty Images

Art

London gallery returns stolen works to Nepalese owners

Two artefacts that were stolen 30 years ago from a temple in Nepal have been repatriated in a ceremony at the Nepalese embassy in London. The 16th-century carved wooden Torana, a ceremonial gateway, and the 17th-century stone statue of a kneeling devotee were both taken from a sacred site near Kathmandu, according to detective superintendent John Roch of the London Metropolitan police at the handover, which was attended by the Nepalese ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharya. In a statement, both parties expressed “their willingness to work closely and promote the collaborative efforts for the preservation of cultural heritage.” Both artefacts were found in the holdings of Barakat Gallery’s London branch, with the London Metropolitan police claiming that the pieces had been inherited from a deceased relative, and had been in the family’s possession for 20 years. Barakat voluntarily relinquished the artefacts after they were determined to be the looted cultural property of Nepal. “I am deeply committed to [supporting] Nepali efforts in protecting and repatriating its rich cultural heritage, and hope we can all continue to fight to reinstate access, agency and power over their living heritage to the Nepali people,” Emiline Smith, a professor of criminology at the University of Glasgow, wrote on Twitter. Emiline specialises in the global illegal trade in cultural objects originating from Asia, and brought the issue to the attention of the authorities in Nepal and Interpol, which then connected with London’s police. Nepal’s acting consul general Bishnu Prasad Gautam received the artefacts on behalf of the Nepalese government in a ceremony organised by the museum. In a statement, Gautam called the repatriation “proactive,” adding that gallery’s cooperation has “positively contributed to Nepal’s national efforts” to recover its stolen cultural property from foreign collections. Image credits: The Nepalese Embassy in London

Art

Rare Titanic artefact with a "hint of scandal" up for auction

An extremely rare gold cigarette case from the Titanic disaster is up for auction. The case, that once belonged to a controversial wealthy couple, comes complete with a backstory and belonged to Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon. According to Hansons Auctioneers, the Duff-Gordons were accused of bribing their way off the now lost ship, but the allegation has never been proven. The infamous ship hit an iceberg at 11.40 pm ship’s time on April 14, 1912, and took two hours to completely submerge in the water killing over 1500 passengers. “This cigarette case in its own right is a wonderful object, but its provenance sends its importance soaring to titanic heights,” said Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, in a <a href="https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/blog/2018/08/why-this-gold-cigarette-cases-titanic-story-could-make-giant-waves" target="_blank">statement</a>. “The sinking of the Titanic has fascinated the world for more than 100 years and such was the Duff-Gordons’ impact on events their roles are played in 1997 movie ‘Titanic’.” Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon was a highly respected landowner and accomplished fencer. His wife, a fashion designer, managed to escape the ship with her secretary and husband on Titanic’s Lifeboat Number 1, making them amongst the 12 survivors. The lifeboat, otherwise known as the “millionaires’ boat” by the British press, had a capacity of 40 people. Other passengers on board Lifeboat Number 1 were two other passengers with the remainder being crew members. “As the Titanic sank, it was claimed Lucy Duff-Gordon said to her secretary, ‘There is your beautiful nightdress gone’,” Hanson said. “A fireman, allegedly annoyed by her comment, replied that while the couple could replace their property, he and the other crew members had lost everything. Sir Cosmo then offered each of the men £5 (equivalent to about NZD$850 today) to aid them.” According to <a href="https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/" target="_blank">Encyclopedia Titanica</a>, the landowner presented them each with their money once they reached safety, a decision that while seemingly generous, would cost Sir Cosmo his dignity. “In the aftermath of the tragedy, the couple were accused of buying their way off the boat, a story inflamed by the tabloid press. But at the British Board of Trade inquiry into the disaster, where the couple testified, Sir Cosmo was adamant he’d given the money as a gesture of goodwill to help the men. However, mud sticks and they were tainted by the incident for the rest of their lives,” Hanson said. On board the Carpathia, the ship’s purser Ernest Brown was responsible for helping the Duff-Gordons and was later awarded a medal for his role in the Titanic rescue operation. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820049/titanic-nz_498x245.jpg" alt="Titanic -nz (1)"/> Because of this, the Duff-Gordons rewarded Brown by gifting him the Asprey gold cigarette case. The case is engraved with the message: “Ernest G F Brown RNR, in remembrance of kindness. SS Carpathia. From Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon.” On the front of the case, the initials “EB” are featured. The cigarette case, which will be up for auction on September 28 at Hanson’s, has a pre-sale estimate of $77,000 to $110,000. Previously, the sextant used by Carpathia’s captain sold for a little under US$97,000. Also, three photos and a handwritten note discussing the last lifeboat were sold for US$6,800.

News

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property