On the trace of the gold owl

On the trace of the Gold Owl is a Jeu of sagacity organized in the form of a Chasse for the treasure.

Duration

Impetus on May 15th 1993, it is to date hunting for the treasure having greatest longevity. Irony of fate, its originator affirmed to have it " programmée" for one period from 8 to 14 month! The precedent " record" had been established by a British hunting entitled Quest: In Zetetic Treasure Hunt which will have lasted 13 years and 7 months (September 1992 - March 2006).

Operation of the play

To carry it eleven should be solved enigma S published in a work of forty pages (republished twice, in 1995 and 1997). This book sold with approximately 70.000 specimens is today exhausted in its successive editors, but is nevertheless available to the remote loading with the agreement of the author.

The enigmas were conceived by max Valentine (it is a pseudonym without relationship with the homonymous musical group). Each one of them makes up of a title, a text and visual. These visual is the reproduction of original tables of the painter and sculptor Michel Becker. They were established according to a schedule of conditions defined by max Valentine. They thus take part fully in the localization of the treasure.

The resolution of the eleven enigmas makes it possible to isolate a zone from the size of a medium-sized city located in metropolitan France. To locate the precise place of the hiding inside this zone it is advisable to solve a twelfth and ultimate enigma " cachée" within the preceding ones.

The Chouette of Gold which constitutes the principal lot of this hunting for the treasure is a sculpture carried out by Michel Becker representing, as its name indicates it, an owl wings spread of approximately 50 centimetres of scale for a weight of approximately 10 kg, out of raised gold and money of diamonds. This single objet d'art was initially estimated at a million frankly S (approximately 150.000 euros) (cf 4th of cover reproduced above) but a collector of Swiss nationality came into contact with the author to propose to the future discoverer the sum of three French franc million (more than 450.000 euros).

It is not the Gold Owl itself which was buried, but its copy life size out of bronze. The person who will find this countermark will be able to exchange it against the Gold Owl near the bailiff in charge of the control of the play.

Chronological reference marks

The owl was buried on April 24th, 1993 with 3:30 of the morning.

June 3rd, 1993 max Valentine opens a waiter Minitel (3615 MANYA become 3615 MAXVAL) intended to answer publicly or into private for the questions of the players concerning this hunting. This waiter closes its doors at the end of December 2001. During this period 38.152 public messages will have been made up there.

An article of Florence Aubenas of September 13rd 1993 and published in the newspaper Libération is the first devoted to this play.

A Association with nonlucrative goal named A2CO ( Association of the Researchers of Gold Chouette) is founded in 2003.

December 4th 2002, a hoax circulates, applicant whom the owl would have been discovered in the Dordogne.

May 3rd 2003 a hunting homage To the research of the gold mini-owl is organized to celebrate the ten years of the play.

October 18th, 2006, a message published by max Valentine on the forum of a2CO indicates that following the Compulsory liquidation in October 2004 of the company in charge of the hiring of the safe containing the Gold Owl, this one is currently in the possession of an official liquidator.

Several procedures are in hand in order to withdraw it credit of the liquidated company and, on a purely conservatory basis, to make it put under sequestration until justice decides at the bottom.

Publications

The book comprising the 11 enigmas was published with three recoveries:

External bonds

the official site of Michel Becker (patron and creator of the sculpture the Gold Owl): http://www.michelbecker.com/
the official site of max Valentine (author of hunting): http://www.maxvalentin.com/

References

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