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19 May 04 12:59 13:59 UK |
An art collector has won her High Court battle over the authenticity of two antique vases.
Taylor Thomson, 41, had sued auction house Christie's over the ornate urns.
She bought them for £1.9m at auction as part of a sale in December 1994 from the Marquess of Cholmondeley's Norfolk seat, Houghton Hall.
However, a judge said while it was likely the urns were 18th Century, Christies had given "an incomplete picture".
Ms Thomson, daughter of Lord Thomson of Fleet, claimed the vases were inferior 19th Century imitations and wanted her money back with interest.
The auction had an estimate of £400,000 to £600,000 and were described in the catalogue as 18th Century Louis XV vases designed around 1760 for Philip Duke of Parma or a courtier by Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot.
Christie's case, based on expert evidence, was that there was not a "shadow of a doubt" that the vases were genuine.
'Possible £2m damage'
In a complex judgment, Mr Justice Jack ruled in Ms Thomson's favour with damages to be assessed at a later date.
It is understood that she may receive about £2m in damages and interest plus her legal costs.
He concluded that he could not be certain the urns were made in the 18th Century - around 1760 to 1765 - but he thought it was likely. He concluded: "If a figure must be placed on it, I would put it in the region of 70%."
He also concluded that Christie's dating of the urns as Louis XV without qualification was an opinion which an auctioneer of their standing could reasonably reach - and that there was no breach of duty on their part in that regard.
'Incomplete picture'
However, he did think that Christie's cataloguing fell below the standard to be expected in several respects, which resulted in an "unjustified" feeling of confidence and certainty about the urns.
He concluded that Christie's gave "what was, in the circumstances, an incomplete picture and Ms Thomson was entitled to a fuller one".
The circumstances required them to tell her that the dating of objects in this area was unusually difficult because of copies and imitations of 18th Century items which were made in the Second Empire and following.
Had Ms Thomson been told of the 19th Century revivalist fashion and of the difficulties which it introduced, she would not have bid.
'Difficult to understand'
Taylor Thomson's central claim was that the Houghton Urns were 19th Century copies and were not, as Christie's had described them, 18th Century.
A spokesman for Christie's said they were considering an appeal and added: "We are very pleased that the judge has found that the Houghton urns are very likely 18th Century and that our dating of the Urns has been confirmed and acknowledged as correct.
"We are however surprised that having made such a finding the judge has nevertheless awarded damages to Taylor Thomson.
" The basis of that award is that even though we believed the Houghton Urns to be 18th Century, and even though they are almost certainly 18th Century, we should - because she was a special client - have warned her of the existence of 19th Century imitations. We find this difficult to understand. "