[Bcma-l] (Fwd) CMA Clip Serv: Feds Sell Historic Silver
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Mon, 25 May 2009 12:54:13 -0700
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<b>Feds sell historic silver</b></span></font>
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<b>Historic pieces, including wedding gifts to British royalty, have
been sold from Rideau Hall</b></span></font>
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Elizabeth Thompson, Sun Media, Saturday, May 23, 2009</span></font>
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The federal government has quietly sold off several pieces of historic
silver and china from Rideau Hall at bargain basement prices, Sun
Media has learned.</span></font>
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Sterling silver tea pots and silver-plated cocktail sets from the
governor general's residence, where dignitaries and royalty have been
entertained over the years, were sold this week on a website usually
used to offload surplus filing cabinets and old computers.</span></font>
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Among the items sold by Crown Assets Distribution are three sterling
silver flower baskets the Canadian government offered as wedding
presents to the future King George V, grandfather of Queen Elizabeth,
around 1893.</span></font>
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Ten Limoges teacups appear to be part of the Allied Tea Service,
hand-painted by well-known Nova Scotian artist Alice Egan Hagen.</span></font>
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Hagen's work is found in museums and on Canada's virtual museum
website, which says the 66-piece tea service, painted in 1918-1919
during the First World War, was presented to Rideau Hall by Hagen's
family after the artist's death.</span></font>
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The government refuses to say who bought the items, citing privacy.
Lucie Brosseau, spokeswoman for Public Works, would only say the
items were sold to individuals across Canada. None of the buyers
listed addresses outside Canada.</span></font>
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The eight sterling silver and 33 silver-plate items, and three
decorative roosters were posted on the Crown Assets auction website
on May 7. The online auction closed on Victoria Day, May 18.</span></font>
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Together, they netted the government $2,888.12. The tea cups were
posted on May 13 and sold May 21 for $275.</span></font>
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Experts consulted by Sun Media were shocked. They say the sterling
silver, silver plate and china sold for a fraction of their true value --
particularly given the fact they came from Rideau Hall.</span></font>
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"I am just absolutely shocked by what has sold," said Andrea
Zeifman, one of the top experts at Ritchies Auctioneers in Toronto.</span></font>
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"I think that it is irresponsible of the government to deaccession
important and relevant silver by sale through a local, non-publicized
website. The pieces should have been offered to a larger auction
house with documented provenance or to a Canadian institution for
the purposes of preservation."</span></font>
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"Even if the government had put it on eBay they would have gotten a
hell of a lot more than that," echoed Shawn Spooner of Spooner
Auctions, who has done valuations for the government in the past.</span></font>
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For example, Zeifman says the hallmarks on the three silver flower
baskets inscribed as being offered to the Duke of York show they
were made in 1892 in London, England. They sold for $532.</span></font>
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"Setting provenance aside, a single silver basket bearing the London
marks of 1892 would have an auction estimate of $600 to $800,"
Zeifman said.</span></font>
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"Knowing that it came from Rideau Hall with monarch significance
could escalate the price significantly."</span></font>
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Since auction values are usually one third of insurance or retail
values, each of the three baskets could fetch $1,600 in an antiques
store, said Zeifman.</span></font>
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Both Zeifman and Spooner agree that the Birks sterling silver coffee
and tea set that sold for $1,210 is a pattern that neither had seen
before and worth much more than that.</span></font>
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Zeifman said the auction value of the set would be $1,800 to $2,200.</span></font>
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Spooner, who jokes he sells more Birks tea sets than Birks, estimated
the set would be worth $2,500 to $3,000 at auction and $5,000 to
$6,000 in a store.</span></font>
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Rideau Hall spokeswoman Isabelle Serrurier said once the china and
silver was declared surplus, Rideau Hall had no choice but to send it
to the government's liquidation service. </span></font>
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"According to the act, according to the law, that is how we had to do
things and we did it." Serrurier said Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean was
not involved in the decision.</span></font>
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Serrurier said the silver and china was sold because it had been in
storage off-site and wasn't being used.</span></font>
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"We were paying to store things that hadn't been used in many, many
years. So it was a question of sound judgment and trying to reorient
those funds."</span></font>
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Serrurier said Rideau Hall asked the National Capital Commission if
the items were needed for any other official residence, but didn't ask
any museums if they wanted to acquire them. "As far as we
understand, that wasn't an option."</span></font>
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She could not say if Rideau Hall consulted any experts before
disposing of the items.</span></font>
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Early Friday evening, a day after Sun Media first asked them about
the sale, Rideau Hall said they have decided to take a closer look.</span></font>
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"We are looking into this issue," said spokeswoman Lucie Caron. "In
the meantime, instructions have been given to Public Works to stop
the sale of any other OSGG item."</span></font>
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