Perot Foundation
"Sure, but what is he selling, the Magna Carta?"
That was the reaction of James Zemaitis, director of Sotheby’s 20th-century design department, when asked to give up a room that he had reserved for a pre-auction exhibition of his own.
Well, yes, it IS the Magna Carta. Out of seventeen surviving copies, it's the only one in private hands–Ross Perot's–and it's the one and only lot up for auction on December 18th, 7:00 pm at Sotheby's. It is estimated at 20 to 30 million dollars.
Sotheby's vice chairman David Redden says of it, ""It is absolutely correct to say the Magna Carta is the birth certificate of freedom. It states the bedrock principle that no person is above the law — that is the essence of it."
Your chances to preview probably the most important document in the world are:
- 11 Tues 10:00–5:00
- 12 Wed 10:00–5:00
- 13 Thurs 10:00–5:00
- 14 Fri 10:00–5:00
- 15 Sat 10:00–5:00
- 16 Sun 1:00–5:00
- 17 Mon 10:00–5:00
- 18 Tues 10:00–5:00
But ... one lot ... won't that be embarrassing if it doesn't sell? Other high-profile and highly-publicized lots have failed to draw bids in the last few weeks. I think I'm going to tune in for the webcast, and bite my nails.
Magna Carta is Going on the Auction Block [NYT]
Magna Carta copy to fetch fortune at auction [MSNBC]
Sotheby's to auction Magna Carta [Daily News]
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