AN ELIZABETHAN artefact, listed for sale at a Whitchurch auction and expected do go for millions of pounds, cannot be sold following a council injunction.
The item, an overmantel from Seighford Hall near Stafford, was due to be sold at the beginning of August by Whitchurch auction House, but was pulled from sale at the last minute after Stafford City Council raised concerns about how it had been acquired.
The artefact had originally been given a starting price of £2 million and was re-listed for August 30.
But it was again pulled from the sale, with Stafford Council confirming that they had placed an injunction on the item, preventing its sale.
The injunction has been made under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (offences) Act, which makes it an offence of to acquire or sell 'tainted' cultural objects.
As the overmantel came from the listed Seighford Hall, Stafford Council believe it falls under the act.
A spokesman for Stafford Council confirmed that the injunction had been placed to prevent the sale of the item.
They said: "The injunction is to prevent an offence being committed under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (offences) Act.
"We want to prevent the sale of the overmantel and have the panel reinstated in the listed building."
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