Dat’s scooter was signed by many artists and politicians and was later sold to Nam Viet A Construction Co. —VNA/VNS Photo

Nguyen Duc Dat has sold his beloved 1949 Lambretta at a record price so that he can build a cinematography museum in his hometown of Binh Thuan Province. The Italian-made scooter, which is covered with 449 signatures of well-known artists and politicians, was sold for US$80,000 to former actor Vo Minh Tung, now director of Nam Viet A Construction Company.

"Many other artists have supported my idea," said Dat, who began collecting signatures in 1991.

He said an overseas Vietnamese had agreed to buy the motorbike for $90,000, but Dat refused, saying that he wanted to sell the bike to "someone with a real heart for our field who would contribute to society".

After Dat collected a total of VND80 million from colleagues in the film industry for the project, a construction company in Phu Nhuan District promised to donate VND300 million. But it later withdrew its sponsorship.

Determined to fulfill his dream, Dat went into debt and was then forced to sell his beloved motorbike to pay off his loan.

The museum at Ham Thuan town will feature souvenirs of late artists, including 60 medals, 30 old cameras, 10 film cameras used during the war, hundreds of photos and more than 3,000 old magazines and books and other objects the actor has collected over the years.

Special gifts from popular musicians will also be displayed at the museum, as well as five guitars that belonged to Vietnamese musicians Trinh Cong Son, Chau Ky, Nguyen Cuong and Ngoc Son.

Altars will be set up to worship late artists who made contributions to the country’s movie industry.

To show his appreciation for his purchase, Dat said he gave the motorbike’s new owner a dragon artwork made from the roots of an old tree taken from the Central Highlands.

Tung said he would auction the artwork and the motorbike at a charity event to be held this month to raise funds for veteran artists and the disadvantaged in HCM City.

The auction will be organised at the HCM City Opera House and be broadcast live on HTV9 on September 29.

Ngoc Buu (Copy Viet Nam News)