"Treasure of the Emperor" imperial seal. (Photo: Millon)

“We have worked with related parties, including the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and UNESCO, to postpone the auction and will explore ways to recover the ancient artifact.” she said.

The seal, made in 1823 and called “Treasure of the Emperor” symbolized King Minh Mang’s supreme power. It is among 300 antiquities related to Vietnam that were auctioned by the Paris auction house Millon on Monday.

The Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport, and Tourism met with Millon to postpone the auction and negotiate the possibility of a direct purchase.