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Last-round Olympic relics auctioned off in Beijing

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-19 10:13

A bidder surnamed Chen raises his paddle to bid for 90 damaged fou drums and 778 bamboo scrolls used during the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony for 6.12 million yuan in an auction in Beijing, March 18, 2009. [Asianewsphoto]

And the competition to buy the fou was so fierce, even the manufacturer Beijing Geshengong Arts failed to get one.

Wang Qian, the boss of the Beijing-based crafts firm that failed to net a profit after devoting its entire factory to making the 2,040 fou used in the opening ceremony, shook his head yesterday when bidding soared for the drums.

"I wanted to give the drums a good home when they retire from their glorious duties. I had a good plan to showcase them upon their return but it doesn't matter now," said 35-year-old Wang, who added his company would repair some of the damaged drums for collectors.

Wang Jingtao, an overseas Chinese from Singapore who runs a cultural fund in Beijing, also failed in his bid to buy one of the souvenirs, but said he would try and persuade others to donate them to primary schools for overseas Chinese children.

The next hot items up for grabs may be the 2,008 umbrellas imprinted with children's smiles used for the opening ceremony. The move is still awaiting approval from the organizers.

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