Porcelain ewer and basin, given by Marie-Antoinette to her housekeeper, stolen 37 years ago by three thieves. They will be returned to the owner of the Thoiry castle in the coming days.
An investigation is underway to try to trace the various sales over the last 37 years and perhaps catch the perpetrators. The value of the dishes would be estimated between 50,000 and 100,000 euros. The buyer, who wishes to remain anonymous, took care to have them appraised in order to find out if they did not appear among a list of missing cultural objects. The objects were then entrusted to an auctioneer. The expert in charge of examining the porcelain contacted the central office for combating trafficking in cultural goods, which confirmed that they had been stolen. In good faith, the owner agreed to return them to the Château de Thoiry, a real relief for Paul de La Panouse, 80, a distant descendant of the Duchess of Tourzel, governess of the children of Louis XVI.