Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

Forgotten Doorstop Turns Into $3.2 Million Masterpiece at Auction

Daniel Kim Views  

Highlife Highland

A marble bust once used as a doorstop by a local council in the United Kingdom has been identified as a 300-year-old masterpiece and is now headed for auction. Once traded for about $6, it is now estimated to be worth $3.2 million. According to Artnet, an American art media outlet, the marble bust that had been stored in the Highland Council’s warehouse in Scotland is expected to be auctioned by Sotheby’s, where it could sell for up to £2.5 million (approximately $3.2 million).

The sculpture is a marble bust depicting Sir John Gordon, an 18th-century Highland Member of Parliament and landowner. It was created in 1728 by French sculptor Edme Bouchardon, who is well-known for his equestrian statue of Louis XV. The bust was originally intended to adorn the gardens of the Palace of Versailles.

Highlife Highland

The bust of Sir Gordon, crafted by Bouchardon in 1728 to represent the Scottish politician, was handed down through generations of Gordon’s descendants and kept in InverGordon Castle until the council acquired it in the 1920s when the castle was transferred to them. At the time, it was sold for £5 (about $6), around £500 (about $645) in today’s currency.

Despite its immense artistic significance, the bust vanished during a local government reorganization and remained lost for years. In a twist of fate, it resurfaced in 1998 in a warehouse within the industrial complex of Ballintore, near Invergordon, where it had been unceremoniously used as a doorstop.

Subsequently, it was returned to the council’s possession. The auction house has placed a staggering estimate of up to £2.5 million (approximately $3.2 million) on the bust. Initially valued at £1.25 million (approximately $1.6 million), its price climbed to £1.4 million (approximately $1.8 million) last year. The current valuation was prompted by an overseas private collector’s offer of £2.5 million (approximately $3.2 million) to Sotheby’s.

The idea of auctioning the bust was first broached in 2014. However, the proposal met resistance from some art historians who argued that, given its public ownership, the artwork should be loaned to a museum for public display rather than sold.

There was also a longstanding dispute over ownership. Although InverGordon once owned the bust, the records had been destroyed over the past 40 years. Highland Council member Maxine Smith recovered the lost bust, complicating the ownership status.

In June, both parties reached a compromise, agreeing to sell the bust and allocate the proceeds for public assets, thus resolving the ownership problem. A council vote revealed that 48 out of 70 members supported the sale.

The bust is currently stored at the Highland Council archive. After its sale, a replica will be made and displayed in the Highland region.

Daniel Kim
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[DEBATE] Latest Stories

  • Chinese-Made Winter Clothes for Kids Found Contaminated with Dangerous Chemicals
  • Who Is North Korea’s Secret Weapon in Russia? The Mystery Behind Col. Gen. Kim Young Bok
  • Is North Korea Now Directly Involved in Combat in Ukraine? General Injured in Airstrike
  • Pizza or Nightmare? China’s Goblin Pizza Leaves Diners Shuddering
  • President Yoon’s Interpreter Faces Off with Brazilian Security in Tense G20 Moment
  • North Korean Soldiers Accused of Gang-Raping Russian Student During Training

Weekly Best Articles

  • 6 Types of Pain You Should Never Ignore—Calll Your Doctor Right Now
  • How to Cut Sugar Without Cutting the Flavor: Top Ingredients to Replace Sugar
  • Turn Your Walk into a Workout: 2 Easy Ways to Up the Intensity
  • Czech Christmas Magic: 5 Traditions That Bring the Holiday Season to Life
  • Why Cutting Calories and Hitting the Gym Isn’t Enough for Weight Loss
  • 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Deepfake Technology
  • World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Commercial Spaces—Here’s What’s Behind the Surge
  • Is This the Real North Korea? Shocking Pyongyang Footage Exposes What’s Happening Inside
  • Chinese-Made Winter Clothes for Kids Found Contaminated with Dangerous Chemicals
  • Kim Jong Un Declares War on U.S. Policy—Is This the End of Talks for Good?
  • Wicked’s Soundtrack Drops—And It’s Everything Fans Have Been Waiting For
  • Oreshnik Missile: Putin’s Latest Weapon That No One Can Stop—What Does It Mean for Ukraine?

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Kim Jong Un Declares War on U.S. Policy—Is This the End of Talks for Good?

    WORLD 

  • 2
    Wicked’s Soundtrack Drops—And It’s Everything Fans Have Been Waiting For

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Oreshnik Missile: Putin’s Latest Weapon That No One Can Stop—What Does It Mean for Ukraine?

    WORLD 

  • 4
    North Korea Shows Off Its Most Dangerous Weapons Yet—Is the World Ready?

    ASIA 

  • 5
    North Korean General Among First Casualties in Ukraine Conflict—What Does It Mean for Kim Jong Un?

    WORLD 

Popular Now

  • 1
    North Korean Hackers Steal $41 Million in Ethereum – Now Worth $1.05 Billion

    WORLD&nbsp

  • 2
    China’s Plan to Outmaneuver US Restrictions in Chip Manufacturing

    BUSINESS&nbsp

  • 3
    Kim Jong Un Declares No More Talks with U.S.: ‘We’ll Strengthen Our Military to Counter Aggression’

    ASIA&nbsp

  • 4
    North Korea Fires Off Furious Statement After UN’s Human Rights Resolution Vote

    ASIA&nbsp

  • 5
    Amazon at Risk of Massive Fines as EU Investigates Digital Markets Act Violation

    BUSINESS&nbsp

Weekly Best Articles

  • 6 Types of Pain You Should Never Ignore—Calll Your Doctor Right Now
  • How to Cut Sugar Without Cutting the Flavor: Top Ingredients to Replace Sugar
  • Turn Your Walk into a Workout: 2 Easy Ways to Up the Intensity
  • Czech Christmas Magic: 5 Traditions That Bring the Holiday Season to Life
  • Why Cutting Calories and Hitting the Gym Isn’t Enough for Weight Loss
  • 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Deepfake Technology
  • World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Commercial Spaces—Here’s What’s Behind the Surge
  • Is This the Real North Korea? Shocking Pyongyang Footage Exposes What’s Happening Inside
  • Chinese-Made Winter Clothes for Kids Found Contaminated with Dangerous Chemicals
  • Kim Jong Un Declares War on U.S. Policy—Is This the End of Talks for Good?
  • Wicked’s Soundtrack Drops—And It’s Everything Fans Have Been Waiting For
  • Oreshnik Missile: Putin’s Latest Weapon That No One Can Stop—What Does It Mean for Ukraine?

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Kim Jong Un Declares War on U.S. Policy—Is This the End of Talks for Good?

    WORLD 

  • 2
    Wicked’s Soundtrack Drops—And It’s Everything Fans Have Been Waiting For

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Oreshnik Missile: Putin’s Latest Weapon That No One Can Stop—What Does It Mean for Ukraine?

    WORLD 

  • 4
    North Korea Shows Off Its Most Dangerous Weapons Yet—Is the World Ready?

    ASIA 

  • 5
    North Korean General Among First Casualties in Ukraine Conflict—What Does It Mean for Kim Jong Un?

    WORLD 

Popular Now

  • 1
    North Korean Hackers Steal $41 Million in Ethereum – Now Worth $1.05 Billion

    WORLD 

  • 2
    China’s Plan to Outmaneuver US Restrictions in Chip Manufacturing

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    Kim Jong Un Declares No More Talks with U.S.: ‘We’ll Strengthen Our Military to Counter Aggression’

    ASIA 

  • 4
    North Korea Fires Off Furious Statement After UN’s Human Rights Resolution Vote

    ASIA 

  • 5
    Amazon at Risk of Massive Fines as EU Investigates Digital Markets Act Violation

    BUSINESS