Aggie87 Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Museum visitor trips, breaks Chinese vases CAMBRIDGE, England (AP) -- A museum visitor shattered three Qing dynasty Chinese vases when he tripped on his shoelace, stumbled down a stairway and brought the vases crashing to the floor, officials said Monday. The three vases, dating from the late 17th or early 18th century, had been donated to The Fitzwilliam Museum in the university city of Cambridge in 1948, and were among its best-known artifacts. They had been sitting proudly on the window sill beside the staircase for 40 years. "It was a most unfortunate and regrettable accident, but we are glad that the visitor involved was able to leave the museum unharmed," said Duncan Robinson, the Fitzwilliam's director. The museum declined to identify the man who had tripped on a loose shoelace Wednesday. Asked about the porcelain vases, Margaret Greeves, the museum's assistant director, said: "They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." The museum declined to say what the vases were worth. "I meant to fall down ze stairs!" Quote
Dan Gould Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Sad news, but I read this and had to wonder why the vases were displayed on a windowsill, in a position where anyone could stumble into the wall and knock them over? Quote
Rosco Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Surely that should read- "It was a most unfortunate and regrettable accident, but we are glad that the visitor involved was able to leave the museum unharmed," said Duncan Robinson, the Fitzwilliam's director, through gritted teeth. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Why did they allow him to leave unharmed? Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Very funny story! It's sad to lose such nice pottery, but it sounds as if it were meant to be. Good thing the fellow wasn't hurt. Quote
Peter Johnson Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 If this had happened in the states, the guy probably would have sued the museum. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 Sad news, but I read this and had to wonder why the vases were displayed on a windowsill, in a position where anyone could stumble into the wall and knock them over? No shit. That was my first thought as well. Quote
Alexander Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 If this had happened in the states, the guy probably would have sued the museum. Actually, I would think that it would be the other way around. The museum would sue *him* for the worth of the vases and take him for every penny... You know: "You break it, you bought it..." Quote
Peter Johnson Posted January 31, 2006 Report Posted January 31, 2006 Just being ironic, Alex... If this had happened in the states, the guy probably would have sued the museum. Actually, I would think that it would be the other way around. The museum would sue *him* for the worth of the vases and take him for every penny... You know: "You break it, you bought it..." Quote
ejp626 Posted January 31, 2006 Report Posted January 31, 2006 I actually go to this museum every couple of months. It wasn't me though. It's a damn shame, but really what a stupid place to put priceless vases. The Guardian has a pretty good blog on whether you the reader has broken anything priceless. It gets kind of stupid 3/4 of the way through, but until then some priceless and sad stories of average folks with the fumblies. Guardian Blog I have broken a few things through the years, but the only valuable things were my own and not someone else's which makes it a little better. Quote
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