Notice to all fencing enthusiasts. An exceptional auction will take place on November 19 in Meung-sur-Loire (Loiret), in the small castle acquired by Rudi Van Oeveren. This Dutch fencing master died in 2021, at the age of 80. He had assembled an impressive collection with nearly 4,000 swords, masks, engravings and documents on fencing; reports The Parisian.
A collection started at the age of 8. “He was a fan of the Musketeers and d’Artagnan”explique Johanna Van Oeveren, sa veuve.
A fundraiser
A collection that she entrusted to Pousse-Cornet, an auction house based in Orléans. For Laurent Mirouze, expert in old weapons, this one is ” unique in the world “. He estimated it at 150,000 euros. Among the lots on offer: a 17th century foil, the dueling swords of anti-Dreyfusard journalist Raphaël Viau and testimonials from the French teams at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games.
An association has set up a fundraiser on dartagnans.fr to buy some of this treasure, which could then be exhibited in a castle in the Loire. She has already collected nearly 3,000 euros.