News
France 3: ""These are the coats of arms of my ancestors", objects stamped by eminent families sold at auction".
An auction offered 400 items bearing coats of arms and the names of noble families, in Plérin, near Saint-Brieuc. Assembled over 50 years by a Breton collector, these objects attracted history buffs, descendants of gentlemen, and buyers from the ends of the earth.
A noble family's sprinkling spoon, a relic of the Vendée wars (1793-1796), attracted the attention of several buyers. The chiselled utensil, which would sell for 120 euros at best if it had no coat of arms, finally fetched 3220 euros.
Plates, pennants, silver cutlery, right down to a gilded button bearing the name of Monaco's dynasty, the Grimaldis, all these small items are reviewed. Some are very old, while others, like the Grimaldi button, date back to the early 20ᵉ century.
Enough to raise the stakes
The United States, China, Singapore, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Romania: not all auction-goers made the trip to Plérin in the Côtes-d'Armor region. On the Internet or by telephone, many of them raised their bids: in total, almost 400 people took part in the sale.
A piece of personal history too
Among the potential buyers, two brothers, who wish to remain anonymous, come from a noble family. It was a seal, a small utensil used to seal letters, bearing the coat of arms of their ancestors, that attracted them to the sale. "Look!" exclaims one of the sexagenarians to his brother, "it even has the family motto inscribed on it!". An emotional attachment that explains, in part, the success of these relics of the past. In the end, it was another suitor, also claiming to be from this family, who outbid him for the seal.
"Auctions decide on the market value of these objects, which otherwise have no great intrinsic value. But when you see a seal that belonged to your ancestor, that's history, that's guts, that's blood talking!" Karl Benz, auctioneer.
The collection of heraldic objects, i.e. those bearing coats of arms, covers 500 years of history. It was assembled over some fifty years by a Breton. A great deal for Plérin auctioneer Karl Benz. "For Americans and Chinese, who are often passionate about this French art of living, it's an opportunity to have a little piece of French history at home."
Not all the objects found a buyer, but some were able to return to their families of origin. Others were acquired by municipal and departmental archives.
(With Maylen Villaverde)
Read the article www.france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr
By Myriam Thiébaut
Published November 24, 2024
