An Inestimable Collection

It will take at least six years and over 300 sessions to sell the entire stock and collections of Aristophil, said auctioneer Claude Aguttes when he announced the opening sale, taking place on 20 December at Drouot. In thirteen years, the French company, which was placed into liquidation after the investigation into its senior managers, had collected over 130,000 manuscripts, objects and documents. 18,000 clients had invested a total of €850 million in what the prosecutor exposed as a Ponzi scheme. Gérard Lhéritier, its founder, has strongly contested this accusation. He has refused to comment on the liquidation of his company (the investigation is ongoing, four years after the indictment). Appointed by the liquidators of…