The sale was suspended afer a last minute court ruling

The sale was suspended afer a last minute court ruling Christie's has decided to suspend the sale of the Pascaline, which was due to take place on November 19, 2025, in Paris, after the Paris Administrative Court suspended the export licence for this calculating machine built in 1642 by Blaise Pascal.

 STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

Christie's said Wednesday it was suspending the Paris auction of one of just a handful of examples of the world's first calculating machine, developed by French mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal in 1642. 

The auction of "La Pascaline" had been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but late on Tuesday a Paris court suspended authorisation for export -- meaning buyers would not be able to take it abroad.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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