The images of the two antique are posted on auction house Million's website. Screenshot photo

HÀ NỘI – The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST) has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify information related to two Nguyễn Dynasty antiques set to be auctioned in France by auction house Million.

According to a release published on its website, the French auction house, founded in 1928, will put up for auction 329 antiques at 11am on October 31 (Paris time). Two among them were said to be from Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945), the last Vietnamese feudal dynasty. They are a golden seal cast in 1823 during the reign of King Minh Mạng (1820-1841) and a golden bowl dating back to the reign of King Khải Định (1917-1925).

The ministry’s Department of Cultural Heritage said that if the seal was the ‘Hoàng đế chi bảo (Emperor's Treasure)’, it had been used for public and political activities of the country throughout a historical period and carried significant historical and cultural values.

In its dispatch sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the MCST has urged the MoFA to direct the Vietnamese embassy in France to work with Million to quickly verify a series of information related to the items, including their owner, legality, expected selling price, and the ability to negotiate direct purchase without auction.

The body also asked for a suitable option to repatriate the antiques based on the results of discussion with the auction house and in accordance with the laws of the host country and international practices. VNS