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UK auctioneer defies Greek plea Greek warning over London auction
(about 3 hours later)
A London auctioneer is going ahead with a sale of heirlooms formerly owned by the Greek royal family, despite appeals from Greek officials not to proceed. Greece has warned buyers of former royal treasures being sold by London auction house Christie's that they could face legal action.
Christie's auction house said it saw "no reason" to stop the sale, which includes more than 850 items that once belonged to King George I of Greece. Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis had urged Christie's not to go ahead, saying the items may have been illegally exported from Greece.
The Greek government had called for Christie's to withdraw the lots, saying they may have been illegally exported. But the auction house said it saw no reason to stop the two-day sale, which began on Wednesday.
It threatened legal action if the sale, which began on Wednesday, took place. On offer are over 850 items once owned by King George I of Greece.
King George I, who ruled Greece from 1863 to 1913, was the original owner of the collection. King George ruled from 1863 to 1913. His collection includes antique silverware, paintings, Chinese jade and Faberge items from the former royal estate in Tatoi, north of Athens.
It includes antique silverware, paintings, Chinese jade and Faberge items from the former royal estate in Tatoi, north of Athens. Ownership denied
Unidentified seller Mr Voulgarakis told buyers to think carefully.
"The items that Christie's desires to auction are beyond doubt part of Greek history," Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis said. "If someone buys something that proves to be illegal, the state will turn both against Christie's and the buyer," he told state TV.
If someone buys something that proves to be illegal, the state will turn both against Christie's and the buyer Giorgos Voulgarakis He said Greece had asked the British courts to force the auction house to disclose where it obtained the pieces.
He said that the auction house had not explained how it obtained the items. The former king denies he is the seller of the antiquities
"Their exact origin and how they came to Christie's for auction has not been made public," he said.
Christie's has not identified the seller but, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant, it is widely believed to be London-based ex-King Constantine.Christie's has not identified the seller but, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant, it is widely believed to be London-based ex-King Constantine.
Greece abolished the monarchy in 1973, but in 1991 King Constantine was allowed to remove heirlooms from the Tatoi estate, which was then confiscated in 1994.
But the royal family said it no longer owned the collection.But the royal family said it no longer owned the collection.
"The items to be auctioned were sold by the Greek royal family in 1991," family spokeswoman Aliki Strongylos told the Associated Press news agency. "We don't know who is currently selling them." "The items to be auctioned were sold by the Greek royal family in 1991," family spokeswoman Aliki Strongylos told the Associated Press news agency.
Christie's said it was surprised by the last-minute request from Greek officials and said all the items had been legally obtained. "We don't know who is currently selling them."
"We see no reason for the sale not to go ahead as planned," it said in a statement on Tuesday. 'Conclusive evidence'
'Think carefully' On Tuesday, Christie's said all the items had been legally obtained and in a statement said it saw "no reason for the sale not to go ahead as planned".
The former king denies he is the seller of the antiquities King Constantine removed the pieces from Greece in 1991
The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1974. In 1991, the former King Constantine was allowed to remove items from the Tatoi estate, which was then confiscated in 1994. It said that Mr Voulgarakis himself told parliament earlier in January that the export of the items had been allowed.
In a statement on his website on Monday, King Constantine said that "conclusive evidence" concerning the legality of exporting the items had been "repeatedly presented". And in a statement on his website on Monday, King Constantine said that "conclusive evidence" concerning the legality of exporting the items had been "repeatedly presented".
Christies said that Mr Voulgarakis himself told parliament earlier in January that the export of the items had been allowed. The auction house also said it was surprised by the last-minute request, given that the sale was announced almost two months ago.
But as the auction got under way, the culture minister warned buyers to think carefully. But Victoria Solomonides, Greece's cultural attache in London, told the BBC that this was standard practice.
"If someone buys something that proves to be illegal, the state will turn both against Christie's and the buyer," he told state TV. "If you go to court say 10 days before the sale, there is always a danger that the artefacts will leave the country," she said.
In recent years, Greece has fought hard to repatriate antiquities it says were taken illegally.In recent years, Greece has fought hard to repatriate antiquities it says were taken illegally.