Chandigarh, July 22: The diplomatic efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs have successfully halted the planned sale of a Pierre Jeanneret-designed heritage chair in Barcelona, Spain. Setdart Auction House withdrew the mid-century piece from its scheduled listing following formal communications from Indian officials regarding the illicit trade of Chandigarh heritage items.
Confirming the development, UT Culture Secretary Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah stated that the External Affairs Ministry notified the local administration of the auction’s cancellation.
Catalogued under reference PJ-SI-07-A, the 1952 teak hanging armchair complete with chains and ropes had been expected to fetch up to €14,000 on the international market.
Authorities declared that the swift resolution in Spain builds on momentum from late June, when a similar auction in Paris was stopped, reflecting ongoing efforts between local and central administration to protect Chandigarh’s cultural assets abroad.
