Below are a list of important newsflashes from the past. Scroll down the page to view them, newest event to oldest.
Alert - October 2011
Pullman car No. '4150' stationed at the French Naval barracks, Versailles (ex 5th Combat Engineer Regiment) has been the subject of a serious theft. Six marquetry panels designed by Rene Prou have been stolen.
It is impossible to guess the precise date of the crime, but it was done very quickly and professionally. The car doors were open and the keys have never been found.
The thief or thieves proceeded methodically, by filing in a precise location on each panel they were able to gain access to large screws holding the panels onto the walls. They took everything, even the small screws used to hold the panels in place.
The six panels are identical, each measuring 167 x 52 cm. The panels are inlaid with tin in the design of a lemon tree, a pattern typical of Art Deco.
The panels were designed by Rene Prou in 1929. The theft is very significant, with each panel likely to fetch tens of thousands of dollars as they are very desirable to Art Deco collectors.
As the panels were stolen from a military compound, the military police are involved. The objects are included in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments, therefore the thief will receive a prison sentence should he or she be caught. The police in charge of stolen art were also informed through the Ministry of Culture.
Please circulate this message wherever possible, especially to collectors who might be tempted by the acquisition of the panels if someone were to try and sell them. The buyer could then be accused of handling stolen goods, a crime that can be upheld for an unlimited period.
*Information and photos from Jean-Marie Thill - Translated from French.
Click on a photo below to enlarge and read captions:
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CIWL Archive appeal - October-December 2010
On the 27th of September 2011, Christies, Paris, auctioned off artifacts from the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-lits.
8th December 2010
Mr Rik Degruyter has informed us of good news! The the Wagons-Lits archives have been saved!
They will be preserved by SNCF in their archive department at Le Mans.
Accor gave the archives, but retained objects, that they want to sell.
18th October 2010
Mr Rik Degruyter has raised the problem with the board of UNECTO (French HRA) who are gathering at Ambert (Auvergne) for their AGM. They are dealing with the problem and will have a meeting with Martine Chantereau in the coming days. It is out of the question that the archives disappear abroad.
13th October 2010
Martine Chantereau, the director of the L'Association de la Patrimoine de CIWL, has contacted us with the following information;
She has been told by Accor that they intend to close down the CIWL archive operation and that she and her records must leave their present address by the end of December at the latest.
More worrying is the fact that Accor has suggested that to raise money they could sell all of the artifacts in an auction somewhere, perhaps in Asia where the amount raised would be higher.
Clearly this is a matter of serious concern to all of us with an interest in the history of CIWL, that such an important archive could be broken up and lost for future generations. This is a tragedy that must be avoided. Accor appear to have little concern for the history of CIWL and perhaps little also for the business itself, having recently sold off a percentage of the rail business.
Martine Chantereau has approached the SNCF to see if they would be willing to house the collection and is doing all within her power to resist the breaking up and selling of it. IRPS will of course assist her in any way possible.
It is our intention to work with the Patrimoine in the future, using our journal and website to publicise the collection.
Clearly pressure must be placed on Accor not to act irresponsibly. While it is understandable that a commercial organisation may not wish to continue to house the collection and manage it, they must understand that selling the collection and disbursing it to the four winds is highly irresponsible. Many mature companies in this situation would transfer the collection to a separate trust with the means to maintain it, or at the very least find a museum willing to house the archive.
As the situation develops we will update this page. Chris Elliott is in direct contact with Martine Chantereau, we understand that the Belgium press are also assisting in the defence of the collection. Further publicity regarding the plight of this collection would be most welcome, condemning what is clearly irresponsible actions by its present owners.
