Photo Karine Maucotel / Musée Cognacq Jay / Roger Viollet via Getty Images
An exhibition of precious miniature objects from the 18th century at the Cognacq-Jay Museum in Paris was robbed on Wednesday, according to Le Monde.
Four hooded men stole smashed a display case with axes and baseball bats before stealing five collector’s boxes and diamond-encrusted snuffboxes in front of museumgoers. They fled on scooters in a matter of minutes. The two 18th-century snuff boxes were made by Johann Christian Neuber and Daniel Baudesson.
Among the items stolen were two works from the English royal collections and the Louvre, according to the French ministry of culture. The show also contains works from the Palace of Versailles.
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The Cognacq-Jay Museum houses an extensive collection of 18th-century art and objects donated by French businessman Ernest Cognacq.
Though no one was injured, the museum is closed until further notice (with plans to reopen on December 10) as the investigation of the incident continues and the amount of damage assessed, authorities said. The robbery may have been the result of organized gang work. As such, Paris authorities offered psychological support for staff and visitors at the museum during the heist.
The thieves are currently believed to have made off with approximately €1 million ($1.05 million) in goods. So far, none of the works have been recovered.
French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati condemned the crime a significant loss of French cultural heritage due to the “historical value and the precious nature of these pieces,” as she said in a statement on Wednesday.
The exhibition was not originally slated to stay open beyond September, but it was extended through the end of November.
