London's V&A ended months of speculation about the fate of one of Salvador Dalí's rare Mae West Lips sofas after purchasing it for its permanent collection.
Widely considered to be one of the most important examples of surrealist furniture ever produced, the sofa, which is modeled on the lips of actress Mae West, was commissioned by Dalí's most dedicated British patron, Edward James.
It was purchased this year by the V&A with support from Art Fund, V&A members and a bequest from Derek Woodman. The sale follows a period of uncertainty over the sofa's future after it was originally put up for sale and sold by the Edward James Foundation in 2017.
After the buyer applied to export it from the UK, the British government placed an official 180 day temporary export deferral on it. V&A made purchase "as no other institution came forward"
The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art ? part of Arts Council England ? imposed the stop, arguing that as the sofa had been in the country for over 50 years it would require an export licence.
The export stop meant that in order for the red sofa to remain in Britain, a buyer who could match the asking price of £480,281 plus £16,600 VAT would have to be found before May 2018.
The Mae West Lips sofas in drawing room of Edward James's Monkton House
During the first 90 days of the deferral, museums across the UK were invited to express interest in the purchase and, on this basis, an additional 90 days wa...