Croydon sell off underwhelms
November 28 2013
Picture: TAN
The sale of china from Croydon council's Riesco Collection (covered in AHN earlier here) didn't go so well: in The Art Newspaper, Martin Bailey reports that:
Of the 24 lots offered at Christie’s, only 17 sold. The star piece, a blue-and-white moonflask (1426-35), did well, going for £2.3m to an Asian dealer. Some of the seven pieces that failed to sell may now be sold privately. The total pre-sale estimate was £9m to £14m and the £8.2m sale total includes buyer’s premiums. Croydon will also have to pay seller’s premiums, but private sales could bring in more. A Croydon spokesman says the council is “reasonably happy” with the prices achieved.
Croydon council are idiots to be in any way pleased with this result. The end of their Accredited Museum status means they'll lose far more than this in future museum funding. Meanwhile, on the 'every cloud' principle, Croydon has been 'expelled' from the Museums Association, and in most portentous terms by the MA President in his 'Presidential Address'. A commendable saving for Croydon ratepayers.
