Page 8 - March 2022

WORLD MARKETPLACE NEWS with Managing Editor Judy Gonyeau

THE HINDU – Officers of the Idol Wing CID DAILY MAIL – The wreckage of British
detected an attempt to illegally export a stone explorer James Cook’s ship HMS
idol, which is believed to be an antique, from Endeavour, which has laid in US waters for
Chennai, India, to Germany. On the orders of the almost 250 years, has been found after a
Additional Director General of Police, K. Jayanth two-decade search by maritime archaeol-
Murali, a special team of police conducted a ogists. Cook sailed the ship around the
search at the premises of SASL Shipping Private South Pacific before he landed on the east
Ltd in Alandur. During the search, an antique coast of Australia in 1770. However, Dr
stone idol of Lord Ram measuring about 2 feet in Kathy Abbass from the Rhode Island
height and 28 cm in breadth, with a pedestal, was Marine Archaeology Project claimed the
found concealed. Mr. Murali, “We also have report is “premature” and that the Maritime Museum is “in breach
information on 10 to 15 other antique idols and of the contract” after the results were shared with the public. Several
we are looking for them. The Archaeological details on the wreck convinced archaeologists they had found Endeavour
Survey of India has stated that the Lord Ram idol is after matching structural details and the shape of the remains to
believed to be an antique.” The idol was seized those on 18th century plans of Endeavour. Just 15 per cent of the
since the shipping company had no proper certification for it. It is vessel remains, with researchers now focused on what can be done
estimated to be worth more than $134,000. Investigations are ongoing. to protect and preserve it.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED – Sports Illustrated has teamed up with PANTONE – To ensure your antique and vintage
NFT platform OneOf, 3D animation artists Jonathan Winbush and decor coordinates with the 2022 Color of the Year,
its mother company Authentic Brands Group to release an NFT look for items featuring PANTONE 17-3839 called
collection. The first batch of NFTs will feature NFL legends Jerry “Very Peri,” to indicate it is a strong, rich periwinkle
Rice, Emmitt Smith and Dick Butkus. In addition to the cover, the blue with an undertone of violet red, much like
NFT also includes a reimagined 3D version of these historic Sports antique German lusterware or even select porcelain. For
Illustrated covers. The rest of the 23 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced
collection will feature prominent product develop-
sports figures such as Muhammad ment and purchasing
Ali, Billie Jean King, Wayne decisions in multiple industries, includ-
Gretzky, Dale Earnhardt Jr as well ing fashion, home furnishings, and
as Dick Butkus. The sports maga- industrial design, as well as paint color
zine is reducing the barriers to and graphic design.
entry for sports fans by making
these NFTs affordable. This is
because the Sports Illustrated NFTs ARTFIX DAILY – Sixty years to the day after showing his first
begin at a price point of $25. collection under his own name, Yves Saint Laurent, the designer who
is synonymous with French fashion and who died in 2008, is once again
taking Paris by storm. From
WBSM – It is hard not to know about the whaling industry if you now until May 15, 50 pieces
live in the whaling capital of the world, New Bedford, MA. With so from the couturier’s vast
much whaling that went on in this part of the country, you might think body of work will be shown
that artifacts from the former industry among the permanent col-
are everywhere. Well, that is not exactly lections at five of France’s
true. Finding genuine artifacts that are most prestigious museums:
legal to own can be tricky. Recently, a the Louvre, the Musée d’
local skeleton articulator posting on Orsay, the Centre Pompidou,
Reddit as “Joseph S.” managed to find the Musée d’ Art Moderne de
an incredible piece of whaling history Paris, and the Musée Picasso
at Acushnet River Valley Antiques: a Paris. Mouna Mekouar, the
genuine bottle of sperm whale oil co-curator of the show and a contemporary art specialist (this will be her
bottled by Nye Lubricants over 140 first fashion exhibition), said that while fashion and art traditionally
years ago. So what do you do with a had existed in parallel worlds, that separation no longer applied.
142-year-old bottle of sperm whale oil? None of the institutions, she said, hesitated for an instant when she
Light a lantern, of course. Joseph said proposed the joint show.
that he “used a few drops to light a
modern oil lamp, and the flame lasted a few minutes and was
brighter than a kerosene fueled lamp.” ART & OBJECT – After half a century, the
Musée du Pays Châtillonnais has been reunited
with a first-century Bacchus statue. First
TWINFINITE – A new Pokemon unearthed by archaeologists in 1894 at the
Legends: Arceus commercial takes Roman Vertillum site—located in modern-day
direct aim at Antiques Roadshow eastern France, about fifteen miles from the
(UK) in parody to promote its museum—the bronze figure of the god in child
game using a giant plush version form has long been considered a French treas-
of a Basculegion that wreaks havoc ure. Before its theft in December of 1973, it
in the appraisal room. was featured in a Parisian exhibition of the
Check it out on YouTube here: finest art of the country. The statue was tracked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TySDZGnkMq0 down by Dutch art detective Arthur Brand. A bit of a celebrity, it is
not unusual to hear him called “the Indiana Jones of the art world.”
6 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles