Council sells Egyptian statue for almost £16m

[Brianmo]

Northampton borough council sells Egyptian statue for almost £16m

An Egyptian statue controversially put up for auction by Northampton borough council has been sold for almost £16m.

The 4,000-year-old Sekhemka limestone figure, which was given to the town in 1880, went for almost £10m more than the guide price at the auction conducted by Christie's in London on Thursday night.

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[lammytheman]

You would think that anything donated to the town or people of that town, could not then be sold in this way.
But councils seem to be able to change laws to suit themselves.
We have had large area's of land in our area which were left in wills to the town and for the sole use of people in the town, and over the years the council have been able to sell them off for housing, despite the protests of the towns-people and court appeals.

[ageezer]

downright ruthless and greedy of them to sell it

[Puffin]

It seems that the money raised was for the failing museum. However by selling this artefact the museum has now lost its museum status even though the council where told this. They went ahead regardless!!!

[Puffin]

http://www.heritagedaily.com/2014/07/eg ... mka/104056

Background of sale by Private Eye

BsMuGnBCYAAfVuo.jpg (89.34 KiB) Viewed 14230 times

[Puffin]

10525707_544254562347808_7868888802792243936_n.jpg (79.43 KiB) Viewed 14230 times

[popsandme]

and I notice a certain Poland citizen has somehow managed to connect this article and metal detectorists.......idiot!

[meandmydreams]

This is so sad. On a far smaller scale, some people will choose not to donate to museums because of such a derisive act. Surely in perpetuity means exactly that.
This is to me, an extremely dishonourable episode that leaves a bad taste in the mouth..

Clive

[lammytheman]

A great lot of money is raised by public donations for the purpose of aquiring objects such as the ones found by detectorists.
People are also waving their right to any rewards so that a museum can aquire such finds and a lot of us have donated finds to local museums.
How would we then feel if the things were auctioned off?
Its a pity the sale wasn't widely known about untill now we could have all made our views known.
Disgraceful.

[Puffin]

This is the official reaction from the Save sekhemka group. http://sekhemka.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/Statement.html

[Puffin]

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/weird-ne ... al-3842289

[JBM1]

One word, Disgusting. Jerry.

[hedgehog]

I think they did the right thing considering "The statue had not been on display for the past four years and that no one had asked to see it during that period, the councillor said."

Expensive item to keep in the cupboard which nobody was particularly interested in don't you think?

Whoever bought it at that price will want others to see it I'm sure, so a good job well done!

[jcmaloney]

Around 95% of PUBLIC collections aren`t on display but are available for research etc.
The legal battle over this has gone on for years and now it is possibly in the hands of a wealthy individual never too be seen again.

There are no "winners" in this one.

[Puffin]

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... -1-6179433

Arts Council England “saddened” by sale of Sekhemka and could remove Northampton Museum’s accreditation