HBC Wants to Hold Auction for Its Art and Artifacts, Including Its Royal Charter

HBC Wants to Hold Auction for Its Art and Artifacts, Including Its Royal Charter
A Hudson Bay Company store in Toronto is shown on Jan. 27, 2014. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette
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Hudson’s Bay will seek court approval to put the royal charter that launched the company 355 years ago on the auction block, along with its trove of art and historical artifacts.

The collapsing department store chain known as Canada’s oldest company said it’s applying to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to sell the items, which would ensure some of its most valuable and historical assets get the “care, consideration and expertise required” and “can be fully prioritized through a separate process facilitated by a fine art auction house.”