The ex-president Julio Maria Sanguinetti participated this Friday in an auction of Creole silverware, military and historical documents in Zorrilla Auctions and took three lots of objects that belonged to José Batlle y Ordóñez.
The first thing he bought was lot 78, which consists of the decoration of the National Order of the Legion of Honor belonging to José Batlle y Ordóñez to US$1,200.
In the video you can see how Sanguinetti bids against others and finally ends up winning the auction at that amount.
According to the description on the museum’s website, the National Order was “granted by the government of the Republic of France to José Batlle y Ordóñez as president of the National Government Council of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.” It is made up of a scallop, plate and lapel button. It is in the original box and with a certificate dated in Paris on September 11, 1921.
Carla Colman
sanguinetti offer
The base price was US$400.
The second item he purchased was lot 82 consisting of Chilean Order of Merit belonging to Jose Batlle y Ordonez. “Order of Merit of Chile granted by the Chilean government to José Batlle y Ordóñez”, reads the description. It is made up of scallop and ribbon and is in the original but damaged case. In turn it has a “typewritten document issued by andl Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay dated May 22, 1915, containing a transcription of the message sent by the Chilean Legation in reference to the reasons for the awarding of the award, granted simultaneously to Batlle y Ordóñez and Baltasar Brum“.
The base price was US$200.
“I am fighting someone very rich but it is the medal of the match”
Lot 83, also belonging to Sanguinetti, was difficult for the former president to obtain. It was a medalThe Hague Peace Conference belonging to José Batlle y Ordóñez and the base price was US$ 120. The amount increased because the former president wanted it no matter what. “I’m fighting someone very rich but it’s the match medal“He pointed at one point to his wife Marta Canessa, who was next to him. He finally took her for US$7,600.
Carla Colman
One of the decorations to Batlle and Ordoñez
Upon obtaining it, Sanguinetti provided an explanation to those present. “It is from a conference in The Hague in 1907, when Don Pepe Batlle, just out of the presidency, is going to represent Uruguay and says a famous speech, proposing binding arbitration for international disputes. And he says a phrase that is always repeated which is: ‘So many alliances have been made for war, let’s make one for peace’ “.
The set of dishes that he had made, he did not keep any of them and ended up buying
The last thing that Sanguinetti took was lot 92, which consisted of a set of porcelain plates, which had a base price of US$70. The curious thing is that this set of plates, designed by Jorge Abbondanza and José Silveira, and which have the inscription Uruguay it had been ordered to be done by him and he hadn’t kept any.
Carla Colman
Sanguinetti explaining one of his purchases
He said that when he was president, there was no set of dishes representative of the Presidency. So, he talked to Abbondanza and Silveira so that they could design them. Several games were held, one was in Suárez’s presidential residence and others were given. “We don’t keep any that’s why I’m buying“He said to the laughter of those present.
