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4h ago

Court Blocks Export of 1642 Pascaline as Christie's Pauses Sale

The provisional order keeps the device in France pending a full ruling, potentially opening the route to national‑treasure status.

Quelques details de La Pascaline créée par Blaise Pascal et présentée chez Christie's à Paris, le 11 septembre 2025 This model, the only one known to have been used for calculating land surveys, is expected to change hands for between €2 millions and €3 millions.
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Overview

  • The Paris administrative court provisionally suspended the export certificate for the Pascaline, finding the instrument could qualify as a national treasure.
  • Christie's said the planned Paris auction is suspended at the seller's instruction while the court prepares a final judgment.
  • The machine, built by Blaise Pascal in 1642 and owned privately, is the only arpentage Pascaline and was estimated at €2–3 million.
  • Only nine Pascalines from the period are known to survive, with six in French museums and two in Germany, according to the coverage.
  • The Ministry of Culture issued the export permit in May after favorable opinions from CNAM and the Louvre, a decision now contested as petitioners seek formal national‑treasure classification, a process that could take months.