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| Egyptian statue Sekhemka sells for nearly £16m | Egyptian statue Sekhemka sells for nearly £16m |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A 4,000-year-old Egyptian statue expected to raise about £6m has sold for £15.76m at Christie's of London. | A 4,000-year-old Egyptian statue expected to raise about £6m has sold for £15.76m at Christie's of London. |
| Northampton Borough Council auctioned the Sekhemka limestone statue to help fund a £14m extension to Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. | Northampton Borough Council auctioned the Sekhemka limestone statue to help fund a £14m extension to Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. |
| However, Arts Council England had warned the council its museum could lose its accreditation status. | However, Arts Council England had warned the council its museum could lose its accreditation status. |
| The Egyptian ambassador to Britain said the council should have handed the statue back if it did not want it. | The Egyptian ambassador to Britain said the council should have handed the statue back if it did not want it. |
| Before the sale, His Excellency Ahsraf Elkholy, the Egyptian Ambassador, condemned the sale as an "an abuse to the Egyptian archaeology and the cultural property". | Before the sale, His Excellency Ahsraf Elkholy, the Egyptian Ambassador, condemned the sale as an "an abuse to the Egyptian archaeology and the cultural property". |
| He said: "Our objection starts from this basic principle: how can a museum sell a piece in its collection when it should be on display to the public?" | |
| The ambassador said: "We are concerned this piece may be moved into a private collection. | The ambassador said: "We are concerned this piece may be moved into a private collection. |
| 'Darkest cultural day' | |
| "A museum should not be a store. Sekhemka belongs to Egypt and if Northampton Borough Council does not want it then it must be given back. | "A museum should not be a store. Sekhemka belongs to Egypt and if Northampton Borough Council does not want it then it must be given back. |
| "It's not ethical that it will be sold for profit and also not acceptable. The council should have consulted with the Egyptian government." | "It's not ethical that it will be sold for profit and also not acceptable. The council should have consulted with the Egyptian government." |
| Christie's said it would reveal details of the new owner later. | Christie's said it would reveal details of the new owner later. |
| Protesters gathered outside Christie's before the sale said they wanted the statue to be returned to Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities. | Protesters gathered outside Christie's before the sale said they wanted the statue to be returned to Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities. |
| Sue Edwards, from the Save Sekhemka Action Group, who travelled from Northampton to the auction, said: "This is the darkest cultural day in the town's history. | Sue Edwards, from the Save Sekhemka Action Group, who travelled from Northampton to the auction, said: "This is the darkest cultural day in the town's history. |
| "The local authority has made a huge mistake but we will continue our fight to save Sekhemka." | "The local authority has made a huge mistake but we will continue our fight to save Sekhemka." |
| Loss of Arts Council England accreditation would make the museum ineligible for a range of future grants and funding, however the leader of the council David Mackintosh said he did not see why this should happen. | |
| Northampton Museum funding: | Northampton Museum funding: |
| He said that having kept Arts Council England "informed of our actions and plans... we see no reason why we should not retain our accredited status". | |
| The statue has not been on display for four years, and no-one had asked to see it in that time, he said. | |
| "It's been in our ownership for over 100 years and it's never really been the centrepiece of our collection," he told BBC Look East. | "It's been in our ownership for over 100 years and it's never really been the centrepiece of our collection," he told BBC Look East. |
| "We want to expand our museum and to do that we need to raise the money." | "We want to expand our museum and to do that we need to raise the money." |