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Market Hall gates (Smithfield Market, Birmingham)

pigsonthewing

pigsonthewing

proper brummie kid
I have heard that the previously missing metal gates from Birmingham Market Hall, including the city's coat-of-arms, turned up and were auctioned (at Sotheby's?) in 1999 to an overseas buyer; the City Council having declined to intervene or bid.

I can find nothing about this online; and Sotheby's tell me their archives only go back to 2003.

Can anyone give a source or sources that confirm or correct this information, please?
 
Vivienne14 said:
Sold on 25/5/1999 at Sothebys to an unknown private buyer for £11,000.

Attaching an article from the day prior to their sale.

View attachment 217657
View attachment 217653View attachment 217655
Source: British Newspaper Archive
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well lets face it folks why would the city council make a bid for these iconic gates...they could not give a flying fig for hanging onto our historical artifacts...shame on them as anyone with half a brain would have been able to think of a good spot to put them. if no use for them then then put them into storage until a suitable new home would come up such as the new wholesale market we now have...it would have made a fitting tribute to our hard working market traders past and present...

lyn
 
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Astoness said:
well lets face it folks why would the city council make a bid for these iconic gates...they could not give a flying fig for hanging onto our historical artifacts...shame on them as anyone with half a brain would have been able to think of a good spot to put them. if no use for them then then put them into storage until a suitable new home would come up such as the new wholesale market we now have...it would have made a fitting tribute to our hard working market traders past and present...

lyn
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Well Said
 
thanks donbogen..sorry to keep moaning about this sort of thing but its because i care about our history that i do.. it really upsets me to know just how many of our brummie treasures have been tossed aside without a care about them..

lyn
 
Astoness said:
thanks donbogen..sorry to keep moaning about this sort of thing but its because i care about our history that i do.. it really upsets me to know just how many of our brummie treasures have been tossed aside without a care about them..

lyn
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Im the same Lyn
Not a Brum subject
Of Topic
They knocked down a Art Decco pub
Now our old heritage trams are under threat
in Blackpool
There soon be nothing left
Don
 
Astoness said:
thanks donbogen..sorry to keep moaning about this sort of thing but its because i care about our history that i do.. it really upsets me to know just how many of our brummie treasures have been tossed aside without a care about them..

lyn
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But they can spend lots of money repaving new street, pribably meaning lots of shops there will get considerably reduced custom.
 
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