the Chinese Ceramics in question
Posted on 02/06/2006 7:34:47 AM PST by presidio9
A man who tripped, fell down a staircase and smashed into three rare Chinese vases in a museum two weeks ago said on Monday "it was just a regrettable accident."
"I snagged my shoelace, missed the step and 'crash bang wallop,' there was a million pieces of high quality Qing ceramics lying around beneath me," Nick Flynn told BBC radio.
"There is no way my pocket will stretch to reimburse them for the damage that I have done".
A regular visitor to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Flynn, 42, expressed surprise the three vases had not been secured in some way.
"They were just left lying on the window sill."
The vases, dating from the late 17th or early 18th century, were donated to the museum in 1948 and were one of its most recognisable exhibits.
Shocked but determined museum staff have vowed to glue the pieces back together again and take steps to ensure a similar accident doesn't happen again.
"I have had a letter from a Duncan Robinson," Flynn said. "He is the director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and he has written to me asking me not to visit the museum again in the near future."
sad, but as fragile as they are they should have been protected better
Bummer. Accidents happen, though. Insurance?
He sure sounds sorry. Not.
That's why my wife stopped taking me to art museums. Thank God!
As I stated when this story broke, people fall down (or up!) stairs. It just happens.
You have enough people pass by, one will inevitably fall.
The museam should not have had these by the stairs.
Feel more sorry for the poor guy than the museam.
I think the guy should sue the museum for endangering him with broken ancient ceramics. He could of really been hurt in that fall.
That stuff made in China always breaks.
Ah, the old "I am a klutz" defence?
It was just a regrettable accident," said Nick Flynn, who broke the Qing dynasty vases -- valued at 100,000 pounds ($175,000) -- at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England.
"I snagged my shoelace, missed the step and crash, bang, wallop -- there were a million pieces of high quality Qing ceramics lying around underneath me," Flynn, 42, told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/02/06/uk.museum.vase/index.html?section=cnn_latest
The museum obviously has some weaknesses in their risk assessment department!
the Chinese Ceramics in question
I have a few household accidents, maybe drop a cup or two, smash a plate - but nothing like this has ever happened to me before
Nick Flynn
when this story broke.....
Punny very punny ;)
The vases, dating from the late 17th or early 18th century, were donated to the museum in 1948 and were among its best-known artifacts. They had been sitting on a window sill beside the staircase for 40 years.
The museum did not identify Flynn, but he was tracked down by British newspapers.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2006/02/06/1428359-ap.html
It was bound to happen, those Vases had been sitting on that window sill for 40 years....it was just a matter of time.
I try.
Mostly no one catches them.
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