Perisan Rugs Auctioned Off

Some Persian rugs are unfortunately getting some negative attention in the press lately. Apparently, the incredibly infamy of Bernie Madoff has rubbed off onto his things. The Ponzi-style swindler lived in royal splendor among his ill-gotten gains, and this is potentially an opportunity to usurp the usurper. At an auction house Sunday, a large standing crowd gathered for the spectacle of Madoff's things being sold off to the highest bidder: priceless works of art, incredibly expensive watches, old jewelry and some hand-woven antique rugs. These and more were a part of what was billed as the "Liquidation of Bernie Madoff", taking place yesterday as the man himself sat in a prison in North Carolina. 

The attraction of buying things back from someone who essentially swindled them in the first place is an enticing one, slightly salacious but with a tinge of vengeance. One hopes that those who are trying to buy the items are doing so out of a sense of duty to the priceless artwork, to in a sense liberate it and return it to the people. Hopefully they aren't motivated by trying to screw over the guy that screwed them over. 

Among the objects up for auction are dozens of incredibly expensive works of art, including original Picassos, Matisses, Miros, Rembrandts, Pissaros, Moneys, and Cezannes. It seemed the multi-billion dollar scam artist was also an appreciator of the visual arts. His home was almost like a museum. The jewelry was also art: rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings, and necklaces that the man himself could not have worn, but surely valued for their diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.

In addition, at least six very large, very old hand-woven Persian rugs were included in the items to be auctioned, priced at almost a million dollars each. Hopefully they will fall into scrupulous hands that will take care of them.