Fears artefacts sold to dealers

HERITAGE items donated to Geelong Museum Association might have ended up in the hands of scrap dealers, according to president Bec Gurrie.
She said the receivers of Mill Markets sold the items last week during a public auction, which association members attended.
“I’ve been informed that there were items belonging to the association and some were identified and set aside. I can’t confirm we got everything back.”
Two weeks ago in the Independent Ms Gurrie rejected fears for the items could be auctioned, believing only Mill Markets materials were for sale.
But this week she said the existence of museum items in the auction was realised only the day before the sale.
“The auctioneers didn’t let us into the site beforehand, so we didn’t get a chance to see whether there were any of our items involved.
“We didn’t have documents or proof of ownership. We could only claim items that we had previously catalogued and had our markings on them.”
Ms Gurrie said some items were uncovered only after the auction when buyers, almost all either antique or scrap dealers, moved materials.
She said the auctioneer, Sellers Muldoon and Benton, relented on the day and set aside items that museum association members had identified.
“These are only the Items we know about. There’s nothing we can do about the rest and that has gone forever.
“If in future items I recognise as have been catalogued turn up and they’re marked and we have photos then I can rightfully get them back.
“I wrote off everything to do with Mill Markets as a bad experience a long time ago,” Ms Gurrie said. “This has been a 10-year headache for me, picking up the shortfall left by others.
“I’m grateful the museum members who were there saw and recognised the items and were able to save some of them.”