A Paris court has made headlines by provisionally blocking the auction of La Pascaline, regarded as one of the earliest calculating machines, invented by French mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1642. Auction house Christie's confirmed that it had halted the planned bidding after the court intervened, expressing concerns over the item's exportation.
The machine was expected to fetch between €2 million and €3 million (£1.7 million to £2.6 million), with Christie's labeling it 'the most important scientific instrument ever offered at auction.' This rare artifact is critical to the history of calculations, with only nine known units existing today.
In a legal appeal filed by scientists and heritage advocates, the court was urged to assign 'national treasure' status to La Pascaline, which emphasizes its importance in scientific heritage.
La Pascaline represents the first significant attempt to replace human calculation with machinery, marking a pivotal advancement in computational technology. While already displayed in Christie's New York and Hong Kong locations, the court's recent ruling underlines the instrument's historical significance, emphasizing its potential classification under French heritage protection laws.
The ruling came after a Paris administrative court questioned the legality of an export authorization penned by France’s culture minister earlier this year, signaling a strong protective sentiment towards historically important artifacts. Christie's has stated it will comply with the court's current directive and rethink future auction plans in light of this decision. The French heritage group Association Sites & Monuments has welcomed the ruling as a victory for cultural preservation.
The machine was expected to fetch between €2 million and €3 million (£1.7 million to £2.6 million), with Christie's labeling it 'the most important scientific instrument ever offered at auction.' This rare artifact is critical to the history of calculations, with only nine known units existing today.
In a legal appeal filed by scientists and heritage advocates, the court was urged to assign 'national treasure' status to La Pascaline, which emphasizes its importance in scientific heritage.
La Pascaline represents the first significant attempt to replace human calculation with machinery, marking a pivotal advancement in computational technology. While already displayed in Christie's New York and Hong Kong locations, the court's recent ruling underlines the instrument's historical significance, emphasizing its potential classification under French heritage protection laws.
The ruling came after a Paris administrative court questioned the legality of an export authorization penned by France’s culture minister earlier this year, signaling a strong protective sentiment towards historically important artifacts. Christie's has stated it will comply with the court's current directive and rethink future auction plans in light of this decision. The French heritage group Association Sites & Monuments has welcomed the ruling as a victory for cultural preservation.
