Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Auction of Hopi Masks Proceeds After Judge’s Ruling

The Hopi artifacts auction makes the New York Times.

A contested auction of sacred Hopi Indian artifacts went forward on Friday in Paris and generated more than $1 million in sales, despite the presence of protesters inside and outside the auction house who urged patrons not to take part.

One featured item, a headdress known as the Crow Mother, drew intense interest. Bidding on this 1880s artifact, which had a high estimate of $80,000, soared to $210,000, drawing applause from a crowd of some 200 people in the sales room and protest from a woman who stood up and shouted: “Don’t purchase that. It is a sacred being.”

Click here to read the entire article.

The National Museum of the American Indian also recently posted a blog article related to the auction on "Respecting Non-Western Sacred Objects."

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