Manuscript of 18th-century erotic masterpiece given treasured status and withdrawn from auction in ParisThe French government has stepped in to declare Marquis de Sade’s manuscript, 120 Days of Sodom, a national treasure as it was about to be sold at auction in Paris. Officials ordered that the 18th-century erotic masterpiece be withdrawn from the sale, along with André Breton’s Surrealist Manifestos, banning their export from France, the Aguttes auction house said. 120 Days of Sodom was expected to go for up to €6m (£5.3m) on Wednesday, while Breton’s highly influential manifestos on modern art were estimated at around €4m. Aristophil had claimed to have collected the greatest private collection of French literary and historical documents in the world. “Madoff and Ponzi sold thin air, but Aristophil sold authentic manuscripts,” he said.

Source: The Guardian December 18, 2017 18:12 UTC