THỪA THIÊN HUẾ — Two Nguyễn Dynasty artefacts dating back to the 19th century are on their way back to Việt Nam after being bought by a company at an auction in Barcelona, Spain.

The artefacts, including a mandarin hat and a Nhật Bình dress (royal costume of the Nguyễn Dynasty), were purchased by the Sunshine Group Joint Stock Company at the auction in October 2021.

They were then donated to Thừa Thiên Huế Province, where the Nguyễn Dynasty royal palace complex was located.

The Vietnamese mandarin hat, coming with a box in lacquered and gilded wood, was initially offered by the auction house at 500 to 600 euros. However, it sold for 600,000 euros, excluding tax.

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Meanwhile, the Nhật Bình dress, a casual clothing item worn by the Empress dowager, Empress consort, and princesses of the Nguyễn Dynasty, also went for a significant sum.

The two auctioned items sold for about US$1.5 million in total.

The Nhật Bình dress for the Empress dowager, Empress consort, and princesses of the Nguyễn Dynasty. — Photo courtesy of Balclis Auction House

The provincial leader said he valued the meaningful gesture of the company and assigned relevant agencies to work with the company to complete legal procedures on the donation of the artefacts.

The artefacts are scheduled to arrive in Việt Nam in early April. The mandarin hat was made around the end of the 19th or early 20th century, while the silk dress dates back to the 19th century.

They will be preserved and displayed at the Huế Museum of Royal Fine Arts, according to Hoàng Việt Trung, director of the Centre for Conservation of Huế Monuments. VNS