A significant collection of heritage furniture pieces, intrinsically linked to Chandigarh's iconic architectural history, has been listed for an auction in Chicago, USA, sparking concerns and urgent calls for intervention from Indian authorities.
Advocate Flags Illegal Sale of Protected Heritage
City-based advocate Ajay Jagga has raised a formal alarm with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Ministry of Culture, and various Indian missions abroad. In his communication, Jagga highlighted that several furniture items designed by the renowned architect Pierre Jeanneret are scheduled to go under the hammer on January 8 in Chicago.
Jeanneret, a cousin and close collaborator of Le Corbusier, was instrumental in shaping Chandigarh's architectural identity during the 1950s. The pieces in question, which include chairs, benches, and stools, are not just antiques but are considered a protected part of the city's modernist heritage.
Provenance Traced to Govt Institutions, Prices Soar
The auction catalogue explicitly cites the provenance of these items from prominent Chandigarh government institutions. These include Panjab University (PU), Punjab Engineering College (PEC), and the MLA Flats. This direct linkage to public institutions has intensified the controversy surrounding their overseas sale.
Each listed item carries a substantial estimated price, ranging from USD 2,000 to USD 8,000. The identification markings that reference PU and PEC, as noted in the auction details, serve as clear evidence of their origin.
Violation of 2011 MHA Order Alleged
At the core of Jagga's appeal is a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order dated February 22, 2011. This order specifically restricts the movement of Chandigarh's heritage furniture outside India. It mandates that even transfers between government buildings within the country require proper authorisation.
Jagga contends that the planned auction in Chicago is a direct violation of this protective order. He has urgently requested Indian diplomatic missions to flag the event with the auction house and take immediate steps to halt the sale. Furthermore, he has called for establishing stronger measures to prevent such overseas sales of India's cultural property in the future.
This incident has brought to light the ongoing challenge of protecting India's dispersed modernist heritage in the international art and design market, where pieces by Jeanneret and Corbusier command high prices.
