He opted for two pairs of glasses. Acquired for 20 euros. A symbolic purchase for Jean-Paul Carouge, who “absolutely wanted an object touched by Pierre Mauroy”. The former socialist Prime Minister of François Mitterrand, from 1981 to 1984, notably carried the reform of the retirement to 60 years. Emblematic mayor of Lille, Pierre Mauroy chained five successive mandates between 1973 and 2001. Jean-Paul Carouge, about sixty years old, planned to raise the glasses to his sight. He has just sent a message to his son to tell him of his discovery, “but he is 22 years old, not sure that speaks to him”. He is sorry that ” people [aient] forgot what the socialists did when they were in power”.
On February 22 and 23, in this former convent transformed into a luxury hotel in Lille, the auction of 850 objects that belonged to the famous first magistrate of Lille, who died in 2013, and his wife, Gilberte, who died in 2022, is being held. , There are a lot of people. “It testifies to the memory left by Mr. Mauroy”, savors Xavier Wattebled, one of the two auctioneers in charge of the sale by the family.
“We wanted to allow people who knew them to have memories of my parents. This is why the starting prices at auctions are generally low. » Fabien, only son of Pierre Mauroy
The exhibition of objects attracted many anonymous people who tell “a great mayor”, “an approachable man” ; former collaborators, some local elected officials, too. They discover the “memories of a political life but also of an intimate life. The Mauroys were not expensive people who led the way,” observes David Porthay, a young auctioneer.
For months, Xavier Wattebled’s partner sorted, classified, evaluated what the Mauroys kept in their house in Vieux-Lille. “We didn’t know where to start. We opened cupboards full of still-wrapped gifts,” confides Isabelle, the daughter-in-law of Pierre Mauroy.
If the writings and political documents were entrusted to the Jean Jaurès Foundation, the family kept only the objects which had an emotional value. “We wanted to allow people who knew them to have memories of my parents. This is why the starting prices at auctions are generally low,” specifies Fabien, the only son of Pierre Mauroy, who admits to being surprised at the surge in auctions for certain pieces.
Saber, stool, flower spikes
The first day of the sale was dedicated to the works of art that were offered to him as Prime Minister, President of the Socialist International, and Mayor. We thus saw a Kuwaiti ceremonial sword, a stool with integrated foot warmer, sauce boats, works by regional artists, but also a watercolor and gouache on paper by the Moroccan painter Hassan El Glaoui (1923-2018) , sold for 9,200 euros to an online buyer, a painted wooden puppet representing a worker in the textile industry, a very kitsch earthenware flower stand representing a blue-white-red rooster. Sitting in the middle of the audience, Fabien Mauroy, 66, whose face recalls that of his father, remembers having seen him enthroned at his parents’. “I’m moved, though…” The flower spike was acquired for 150 euros by a lady at the back of the room, who plans to “give it to someone”.
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