Sevso Treasure, “Hungary's family silverware,” returned

Analysis

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on Wednesday that Hungary has reacquired seven pieces of the Sevso Treasure, a priceless collection of Roman-era silverware to which the country has laid claim, for €15 million.

“Hungary's family silver is coming home,” Orban said. The pieces will be on display, free of charge, in the parliament building beginning on Saturday.

The Sevso Treasure, owned by the Marquess of Northampton, was allegedly found on the outskirts of Polgárdi, near Lake Balaton, sometime in the 1970s by József Sumegh. Sumegh’s sales eventually made it to London art markets in 1980. Then-Lord Northampton bought all 14 pieces in the collection; shortly after this purchase, Sumegh was found dead in his Hungarian home under mysterious circumstances, i.e. hung by the neck in not-necessarily suicidal fashion.

In 1990, Lord Northampton attempted to resell the silverware, only to have lawsuits filed against him by three national governments, including Hungary’s. In early 2013, the pieces were thought to be worth as much as £100 million (over €120 million) on the open market – if such an item could, after dispute of ownership with a national government, be sold on the open market.

The pieces are thought to have been made by the same craftsmen who fashioned a silver tripod found near Polgárdi a century earlier and now in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum.

-- material from national news service MTI was used in this article

Scope Assigns MOL BBB- Issuer Rating Ratings

Scope Assigns MOL BBB- Issuer Rating

Budapest Residents to Weigh in on Rákosrendező Development P... Issues

Budapest Residents to Weigh in on Rákosrendező Development P...

AutoWallis Becomes Importer of Geely Group’s Commercial EV B... Automotive

AutoWallis Becomes Importer of Geely Group’s Commercial EV B...

These Are the Most Sleep-friendly Hotels in Hungary Hotels

These Are the Most Sleep-friendly Hotels in Hungary

SUPPORT THE BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL

Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For 27 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.
Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.