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Anorak News | ‘Stolen’ Denbighshire Vase Sells For £228,000 At Auction: But Who Owns It And Gets The Money?

‘Stolen’ Denbighshire Vase Sells For £228,000 At Auction: But Who Owns It And Gets The Money?

by | 17th, November 2011

ANDREA Calland sold an “ugly” old vase at auction for £228,000. The object d’art with a reserve of £500 turned out to be a Chinese antique. She was amazed and delighted.

Happy days.

But things have gone badly for Miss Callan. She must pay £190,000 to her ex-partner’s mother, one Evelyn Galloway, 74, of Tan-y-Bryn, near Ruthin, Denbighshire.

It wasn’t Calland’s to sell. Mrs Galloway only learnt her vase had been sold for loadsa money when she read about it in the paper. She called the police. They took no action. So Mrs Galloway sued.

The matter came to Mold County Court. There, Judge Seys Llewellyn QC, said that although Calland had not acted dishonestly, the vase belonged to Galloway.

Mrs Galloway’s late father had bought it at auction. In 1990, she “loaned” it to her son, Steven, who was living with Calland. In March 2001, the couple split up. and the vase remained with Calland. She said that after 18 years in her possession she was entitled to sell it. But she wasn’t.

Is that fair? What do you think?

Note: The irony is that the Chinese Imperial guilt, bronze and cloisonne archaistic champion vase had been looted during the second opium war in 1860 and taken from the Summer Palace in Peking. It’s been stolen goods.



Posted: 17th, November 2011 | In: The Consumer Comment | TrackBack | Permalink