Chandigarh’s Heritage Furniture Auctioned in Luxembourg, Sells for Rs 10.23 Lakh

Chandigarh: The auction of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture continues abroad, with the latest auction held on December 1 in Luxembourg. The auction included heritage chairs and stools from the city, fetching a total bid of Rs 10.23 lakh. This auction raises concerns, especially after the French delegation’s visit to Chandigarh on October 4. During the visit, a meeting with Administrator Advisor Rajeev Verma had discussed the issue of heritage furniture being auctioned abroad, yet the practice persists.

Ajay Jagga, former member of the Chandigarh Heritage Items Protection Cell, has lodged a complaint with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, demanding an investigation. Jagga’s complaint highlights that every year, heritage furniture worth millions is being auctioned internationally, despite the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) having imposed a ban on such sales. Jagga pointed out that the lack of proper handling is causing the administration to lose out on potential revenue.

The auction at Luxembourg’s Lux Auctions included items designed by Pierre Jeanneret, including two office chairs, a rectangular low stool, and a student chair from Punjab University. Auction houses are now even specifying that these heritage items are from Chandigarh. Jagga has demanded that all such auctions be halted and called for a thorough investigation into how these heritage items are reaching international markets.

This auction is part of a growing trend of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture being sold at auctions in the U.S., France, and Europe over the past few years.

Earlier, in October, a French delegation led by Cultural, Education, and Science Counselor Gregoire Trumel visited Chandigarh, where the illegal auctioning of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture, designed by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier) and Pierre Jeanneret, was discussed. Despite this, no concrete action has been taken so far.