Forgotten marble bust used as doorstop in Highlands for years could be sold by council for £1.4 million

By Lottie Hood

August 30 2022, 10:27 am

Edme Bouchardon's sculpture of Sir John Gordon.

A long-lost valuable marble bust that was found being used as a doorstop for a shed in the Highlands could be sold for £1.4 million.

The bust of Sir John Gordon of Invergordon was created in 1728 by French sculptor Edme Bouchardon.

Highland Council, which has been helping look after the artwork, has held initial discussions with specialists.

Valued at about £1.4 million in 2016, the potential sale of the artwork would benefit Invergordon Common Good Fund which provides financial help to local projects.

Artwork lost for years

The valuable sculpture was discovered in 1998 propping up the door of a shed.

The bust was made of Sir John Gordon, an MP and prominent landowner in Easter Ross in the Highlands. His father also gave the family name to Invergordon.

As one of the 18th Century’s most fashionable sculptures, the artist Bouchardon produced a number of works for French royalty at the Palace of Versailles and also made the Fontaine des Quatre Saisons in Paris.

The BBC reported that the bust was placed in the care of the Invergordon Town Council after its creation before it was mislaid during local government reorganisation.

It was then rediscovered years later by Cromarty Firth councillor Maxine Smith being used to prop open a door for a shed in an industrial estate in Balintore in 1998.

Mrs Smith said she had found it when looking for the former provost’s robes. At the time, she said: “Little did I realise how important this doorstop was that was holding open the door.”

Since its discovery, the artwork has been on a global tour including being displayed in the Louvre in Paris and the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It is currently being stored in Inverness Museum.

Potential selling of bust in ‘very early stages’

A report to Highland Council’s Easter Ross area committee has said they have sought advice from specialists at auctioneers Sotheby’s.

The agenda for the September 5 meeting says councillors will receive a more detailed report on the potential sale at a later meeting.

A spokesman for Highland Council said: “The potential sale of the bust came as a result of discussions around Invergordon Town Hall.

It was hoped at some point the selling of the bust would provide funds for Invergordon Town Hall. Picture by Sandy McCook.

“Consultation had taken place on the sale of Invergordon Town Hall as the Common Good did not have funds to restore and run it. In addition, community attempts to take it on had proved unsuccessful.

“The issue of the town hall has been dealt with at the Easter Ross Area Committee in February 2022, full council in March 2022 and then Tain Sheriff Court in May 2022. All approved the sale of the town hall.

“Preparation work is now being done for it to be placed on the market.”

Investigations into selling the bust are still in their “very early stages”.

The council added that the Easter Ross Area Committee is a “long way off” from proposing any course of action on the issue.

They said: “The report due to be considered at next week’s Easter Ross Area Committee contains brief information and confirms that work remains ongoing.

“No proposal on the future of the bust has been prepared and should any proposal to sell come forward in the future, this would be subject to a full public consultation under the Community Empowerment Act.”