A sculpture purchased for only £5 and used as a doorstop could soon be worth over £2.5 million after receiving approval for sale from a Scottish court. The “Bouchardon Bust,” created in the early 18th century by French sculptor Edmé Bouchardon, depicts politician John Gordon, a local figure in Invergordon’s history. The bust was acquired by Invergordon Town Council in 1930, intended for public display to honor Gordon as “the founder of Invergordon.” However, the sculpture was misplaced over the years and eventually found in 1998 being used to keep a shed door open in an industrial park. Recognizing its artistic and historical value, the Highland Council later loaned it to notable institutions, including the Louvre in Paris in 2016 and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles the following year.
The Highland Council recently reported that an unidentified private overseas buyer contacted Sotheby’s with a substantial offer exceeding £2.5 million. The buyer proposed to fund a museum-quality replica of the bust for local display, allowing Invergordon residents to appreciate the piece’s historical significance. A public consultation earlier this year led the council to recommend the sale, and after approval from Tain Sheriff Court, the legal procedure known as the Waverley Criteria is likely to be enacted, assessing if the bust qualifies as a “national treasure” restricted from export. Although the auction details remain unconfirmed, the bust’s history and rediscovery echo other notable finds, such as a meteorite used as a doorstop at Central Michigan University, which sold in 2018 for $75,000.
