Chandigarh, June 6
Yet another auction of Chandigarh heritage is set to take place and this time in France. While shedding light on further details, Ajay Jagga, Advocate said that 16 more articles of Chandigarh worth around 5.06 Crore – 5.97 Crore, are going to be auctioned in France in the city i.e. CANNES, on 14 June, 2022.
Jagga wrote a letter to Secretary General Rajya Sabha, New Delhi and said Suite of four solid teak armchairs worth 99.91 lakh to 1.24 crore ( 120000 – 150000 EUROS) and Second most expensive, Large desk in solid teak and teak veneer – Circa 1955-56, Thick veneered top, removable and forming an open angle worth 83.26 lakh – 99.91 lakh ( 100000-120000 euros) are in the list of articles to be auctioned.
Jagga said that Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance.—It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, 2 [declared by or under law made by Parliament] to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.
The list of items designed by Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier include Low double-sided storage cabinet in solid teak – Circa 1960, Building of the Chandigarh school of architecture, sector 12, Pierre JEANNERET (1896-1967). Removable single bed called “single bed design” in solid teak and woven caning – Circa 1955-56, This easily transportable bed is inspired by the traditional Indian “Charpoï”, which you take out to sleep outside in the hot season.
Rare low chair in solid teak, cord and cotton straps – Circa 1953-54. Structure in solid teak, removable and assembled by screws and nuts. Shaped “bridge” type base, backrest in cotton cord and seat in wide interwoven cotton straps, Rare living room furniture in solid teak and cotton canvas including a sofa and two armchairs – Circa 1960.
Suite of four solid teak armchairs – Circa 1955-60. Seat and back in braided cane. Pair of sheet metal wall sconces called “LC II” – Circa 1954.
Pierre JEANNERET (1896-1967). Chest of drawers in solid teak – Circa 1955-56. Quadrangular frame discovering in the right part an open locker, in the left part, three storage drawers, the first surmounted by two smaller ones with hollow round-shaped opening grips on an aluminum background, very characteristic of the work of Pierre Jeanneret in Chandigarh and Pierre JEANNERET (1896-1967). Set of two round stools in solid cashew – Circa 1965-66.
“Since the auctions are going on and on causing huge heritage loss to our nation (even financial loss) , thus our parliament is humbly petitioned to take call on the regulations for its protection,” Jagga said.
He said India is also a signatory to Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) and the Convention encourages cooperation among nations to prevent the illicit movement of cultural property across borders.
States of origin can request assistance from other nations in recovering illegally obtained cultural property; however, the Convention stipulates the state will pay just compensation to innocent purchasers or those who hold valid title to the property. The Convention suggested that states declare some cultural property as inalienable to help prevent its export and, where necessary, facilitate its recovery. The Convention recommends the development of an export certification program to help control the flow of cultural property and to provide an authenticated provenance for the object, Jagga added.
“As such, the burden lies on country and place of original and in this case it is India-Chandigarh, which needs to take care of this issue for its protection, by providing appropriate law/regulations/prohibitions,” he concluded.
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