Magna Carta sells in New York for 21.3 (m) million US dollars

(19 Dec 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Various exteriors of Sotheby's auction house
2, Copy of Magna Carta on display with zoom in to script
3. Woman looking at Magna Carta
4. Close-up of Magna Carta
5. Wide of room with bidders and David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's at the front welcoming the crowd
6. Cutaway of display sign reading (English) "Magna Carta."
6. Redden selling Magna Carta for 19 (m) million US dollars(before commission)
UPSOUND (English) "19 million dollars. Are we all through? 19 million dollars on the telephone, on my left, fair warning, at 19 million dollars, (brings gavel down) 19 million dollars."
6. Cutaway of Sotheby's final bid sign
7. SOUNDBITE (English) David Rubenstein, Buyer of Magna Carta copy:
"I thought it was very important that the Magna Carta stay in the United States, and I was concerned that the only copy in the United States, might escape from the United States as a result of this auction. So I felt determined to do what I could to make sure that the National Archives would have this for display for all Americans to see and all people who care about freedom to see for quite sometime in the future. So it's my intention to ask the National Archives to display this in the future as it has been displayed in the past."
8. Close-up Magna Carta
9. SOUNDBITE (English) David Rubenstein, Buyer of Magna Carta copy:
"I don't think you can put a price on freedom. I don't think you can put a price on this precious document. I'm very pleased with the price I paid. I'm very pleased that the American people will have this."
10. Pan from Rubenstein talking to crowd to Magna Carta
11. SOUNDBITE (English) David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's:
"It's staying at the National Archives. It really couldn't be a better outcome. It's the dream outcome."
12. Close-up Magna Carta
13. SOUNDBITE (English) David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's:
"If you want to look for a starting place for our freedoms and liberties, one goes back to Magna Carta. One always goes back to Magna Carta."
14. People looking at Magna Carta on display
STORYLINE
A 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta has sold at auction for more than 19 (m) million US dollars.
The ancient declaration of human rights is one of 17 known copies.
A spokesman for the New York auction house Sotheby's said the document, which was owned by the Perot Foundation, was purchased by David Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm.
Rubenstein, said he felt it was important for the Magna Carta to stay in the United States (US).
"I was concerned that the only copy in the United States, might escape from the United States as a result of this auction," he said.
"So I felt determined to do what I could to make sure that the National Archives would have this for display for all Americans to see and all people who care about freedom to see for quite sometime in the future."
David Redden, the Vice Chairman of Sotheby's, described the sale as the dream outcome.
"It really couldn't be a better outcome," he said.
The document bears the seal of King Edward I and is dated 1297. It is one of two that exist outside Britain, the other which is in Australia.
From 1988 until earlier this year it was on loan to the National Archives in Washington, sharing space with the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, two documents that both drew on its principles.
"If you want to look for a starting place for our freedoms and liberties, one goes back to Magna Carta," Redden said.
"One always goes back to Magna Carta."

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...