Intitial reports from the Institute said that the horseshoe-shaped back had broken in three places, but along old break lines. However, the curator of Chinese furniture, Dr Bob Jacobsen, confirmed that the damage was more extensive. “Let’s just say that there are old breaks and new breaks,” he said. “This is a very serious and tragic incident, but we have found all the pieces and should be able to put together the chair without diminishing its aesthetic appearance”.
The chair will be sent to London to be restored by leading specialist Christopher Cook, barely four years after he last worked on it for the institute. The chair, one of only three of its kind with iron damascened mounts, was purchased by the Institute’s benefactor Bruce Dayton at Sotheby’s New York in September 1996 for $410,000.
“I have spoken to Mr Dayton on the phone,” said Dr Jacobsen, “but he has not been in to see what happened.”
Fatigue proves deadly to Ming relic
US: ONE OF the rarest chairs in the world has met with an unexpected fate at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. A 17th century Chinese folding armchair, which had accomodated the highest dignitaries of the Imperial court, was unable to bear the weight of a weary museum visitor who had disregarded the ‘do not touch’ sign and sat down to rest his feet.
