From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 06:19:04 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 06:19:04 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Tulsa Native American Artist Has Thousands Of Dollars In Artwork Stolen Message-ID: <20050301051911.MBNG11192.amsfep13-int.chello.nl@cremers> A Tulsa Native American Artist Has Thousands Of Dollars In Artwork Stolen A well known Oklahoma artist is hoping for the return of a trailer load of his artwork. The trailer, containing about $25,000 worth of paintings and prints, was stolen early Sunday afternoon from his home in the 2800 block of South 87th East Avenue. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talked to the artist about what he lost and how he'll prepare for an up-coming show. "Mostly Cherokee warriors running through here." Talmadge Davis is working on a new painting, a little more frantically now perhaps than before Sunday. Someone stole a trailer loaded with lots of his artwork. "They took about 61 paper prints and canvas prints." There were two originals and all the display panels he would have used at the show in the stolen trailer. The tire tracks are still there in the mud; in fact you can see boot prints, probably of the guys who stole it. The trailer they stole was a smaller version of a black 5 foot by 8 foot motorcycle trailer. "I think that's what they thought they were getting was a motorcycle. Unfortunately they took my business." Davis one of Oklahoma's better known Native American artists. And he will be the featured artist at Tulsa's Native American art show in two weeks. "This one here I've already been working on for about three weeks." He says he'll be able to finish two new paintings. He'll borrow some previous works and repackage some other materials, but it's all very disappointing. "We'll be at the show and we'll have a display, it just won't be the one I wanted." In the meantime he'll paint and hope for the best. "At this point we don't even care about pressing charges; we just want the art back and the trailer back." And truthfully, he'd probably settle for just the art work. Once again, it's a 6 foot high, 5 foot by 8 foot black trailer with chrome splash boards. If you have any information that might help find it you can call Crimestoppers 596-COPS. Created: 2/28/2005 Updated: 2/28/2005 5:12:37 PM Source: The News on 6 www.KOTV.com http://www.kotv.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 06:26:28 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 06:26:28 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] China: theft of cultural relics from ancient sites and museums in China jumped by 80 per cent last year Message-ID: <20050301052631.MMMJ1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> Theft of cultural relics jumps 80pc >From correspondents in Beijing February 28, 2005 THE theft of cultural relics from ancient sites and museums in China jumped by 80 per cent last year, officials said in state media today, announcing plans to stop the plunder. Forty cases involving 222 items stolen from protected sites and museums were recorded in 2004, an 81.8 per cent increase year-on-year, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage said. Heritage officials cited by the China Daily newspaper said the protection of cultural relics had come under "severe threat from increases in illegal excavation, theft and smuggling in recent years". In an effort to curb the trade, enforcement agencies across the country have been ordered to set up stringent safeguards, administration official Liu Qifu said, without specifying what measures would be taken. According to the administration, 21 of the cases last year involved units involved in relic protection, while 11 occurred in museums and eight in government offices responsible for relics. The figure does not include thefts from illicit excavation at ancient tombs, said Shan Jixiang, head of the administration. Driven by demand from overseas, the smuggling of relics has become a lucrative business. The goods mainly head to Europe, Japan and the United States but are also turning up in private art collections in main Chinese cities, state media has previously reported. Generally traders purchase relics in markets or from large and organized networks of people, ranging from farmers to sophisticated antique experts. They use foreign students, expatriates living in China or even tour groups to smuggle the goods out of China in often unchecked luggage. Many other pieces are shipped or mailed. Experts quoted by Xinhua said relics could be smuggled out of the country as early as a week after they were stolen, making it all but impossible for cultural heritage protection departments to trace them. Despite the flood of relics overseas, law enforcement officials occasionally crack a big case. Last year police in eastern Anhui province arrested 37 people who stole and smuggled 469 relics, including more than 100 state-protected art works. AFP http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 06:26:29 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 06:26:29 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] China: High-tech crimes threaten cultural relics Message-ID: <20050301052634.MMMW1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> High-tech crimes threaten cultural relics www.chinaview.cn 2005-02-28 09:31:44 BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- The protection of cultural relics is under severe threat from increases in illegal excavation, theft and smuggling in recent years, heritage officials have warned. To curb rampant criminal activity, administrative enforcement organs are being urged to set up stringent safeguards above the county level according to China's law on the protection of cultural heritage, said Liu Qifu, an official from State Administration of Cultural Heritage. Forty stealing cases, during which 222 cultural relics were stolen from the country's protected ancient sites and museums, were reported nationwide last year, an 81.8 per cent increase year-on-year, a report released by administration last week said. Twenty-one, or 52.5 per cent, of these cases involved relics protection units of different levels, while 11 occurred in museums and eight cases happened in government offices responsible for relics, it said. "The figure does not include the number of crimes where illicit excavation at ancient tombs occurred," said Shan Jixiang, head of the administration, at an annual working conference on cultural relics at the end of last year. What is worse, only seven of the stealing cases were uncovered by the cultural relics protection departments and public security departments last year, Shan added. Driven by huge profits, criminals are active in digging ancient tombs and cultural heritage sites, stealing and smuggling , experts said. At the same time, lots of stone sculptures and relics in temples are most vulnerable to theft because most of them are widely scattered in fields and lack enough protective measures. Analyzing the crimes, Liu said thieves have mainly focused their "wicked hands" on the relic items stored in key cultural heritage sites or museums. By using high-tech, such as computer and Internet technologies, they have been involved in crimes such as stealing, illegal transportation, smuggling and speculative sales of relics in provinces and regions. Experts estimate that stolen relics could be smuggled across of the border within one or two weeks by the suspects; and after that it would be difficult for the cultural heritage protection departments to trace them. For example, the police department in East China's Anhui Province spent two years to crack a case in late 2004 to arrest 37 suspects who stole and smuggled 469 cultural relics, including more than 100 State-protected art treasures. A stealing and smuggling network had existed for more than 10 years in about 10 provinces and regions including Hong Kong and Macao, sources said. Among the suspects arrested by police were five people from China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. In China, departments such as the bureaux for protection of cultural heritage and relics, police, as well the bureaux of industrial and commercial administration bear the responsibility to crack down on crimes and infringement cases of stealing and smuggling of cultural relics, said Liu, the official from State Administration of Cultural Heritage. The administration's statistics indicated that 807 law enforcement organs which include 4,279 personnel have been established by the cultural heritage departments at the county level around the nation. (Source: China Daily) http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/28/content_2627601.htm From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 06:44:48 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 06:44:48 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] China: Statue thieves finally sentenced Message-ID: <20050301054450.LBEC1891.amsfep20-int.chello.nl@cremers> Statue thieves finally sentenced ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 1/3/2005 7:25 Shanghai Daily News More than five years after a famous statue was stolen from one of the busiest intersections in the city, two of the three men who stole the figure were finally sentenced to jail for their crime yesterday. The Luwan District People's Court yesterday sentenced Zhao Xiejun to 12 years in prison and Xu Guoxing to 10 years for stealing the 103,600 yuan (US$12,482) sculpture just outside a Metro station exit at the intersection of Huaihai Road and Maoming Road. The sculpture of a young woman talking on a public phone first appeared on the street on May 18, 1999. It was 1.7 meters tall and weighed 350 kilograms. The duo and their accomplice, Hu Zhenglong, who had already been sentenced to eight years in prison in 2002 for another theft, made their living by collecting garbage in the city. At the end of January 2000, the trio saw the sculpture while collecting garbage around it. They stole it several days later after making sure it was made of real bronze. Prosecutors told the court the trio pulled the sculpture down with a rope, carried it to a recycling station and sold it to Zhang Chaoming, who grew up in the same town in Jiangsu Province they did, at about 4am when there were few people on the street. Zhang has already been sentenced to 18 months behind bars for accepting and selling stolen goods. Zhang agreed to pay six yuan per kilogram for the statue, although he knew it was stolen. The statue was cut into pieces and Zhang sold it to a metal trade market in Wujiang, Jiangsu Province. http://english.eastday.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 06:51:10 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 06:51:10 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?En_Afghanistan=2C_le_pillage_est_dev?= =?iso-8859-1?q?enu_syst=E9matique__/_sytematic_looting_of_Afghan_c?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ultural_heritage?= Message-ID: <20050301055112.TUJI22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Culture : Le pillage du patrimoine afghanEditos, Analyses, Presse ? En Afghanistan, le pillage est devenu syst?matique ? Roland Besenval, arch?ologue ++ Translation of text below: http://snipurl.com/d4lx ++ Sciences et Avenir, Mars 2005 En vingt ans, le patrimoine arch?ologique afghan a connu une v?ritable h?morragie. Pour le directeur de la D?l?gation arch?ologique fran?aise, l?urgence est absolue. Il sugg?re de conditionner les programmes de d?veloppement ? la protection des sites. ________________________________ En 2001, la destruction des deux bouddhas g?ants de Bamiyan, en Afghanistan, a frapp? tous les esprits. Depuis, le site a re?u le soutien de l?Unesco, et 1,8 million de dollars vient de lui ?tre attribu?. A quoi cet argent est-il destin? ? Il y a un important programmes de consolidation de la falaise fissur?e lors de la destruction des bouddhas, ainsi qu?un travail de protection de ses niches et grottes bouddhiques. La mise en valeur de la vall?e de Bamiyan et un mus?e sont aussi ? l?ordre du jour. Je ne me fais pas trop de souci pour ce site. Je m?en fais davantage pour le reste du pays dont personne ne parle. Vous dites ?tre inquiet Quel r?le peut jouer la D?l?gation arch?ologique fran?aise en Afghanistan (Dafa) que vous dirigez ? La France a, depuis 1922, une longue tradition de coop?ration arch?ologique avec ce pays. Mais en 1982, en raison des ?v?nements politiques, tout a d? ?tre interrompu : les activit?s de la Dafa ont ?t? stopp?es et son centre de Kaboul ferm?. A l?automne 2001, apr?s le d?part des talibans, il ?tait dans la logique des choses que la coop?ration arch?ologique avec la France soit l?une des priorit?s demand?es par les autorit?s afghanes. Mais elle voit ses urgences r?orient?es. En vingt ans, le patrimoine arch?ologique afghan a en effet subi une h?morragie inimaginable. Le pillage a tout modifi?. Il y a une urgence absolue en la mati?re. Il y a, dites-vous, des destructions de sites tr?s importantes ? J??tais r?cemment dans la r?gion de Tash-kurgan, dans le nord du pays. En arrivant sur le sommet des sites, on voyait des centaines ? je dis bien des centaines ? de pillards. Quand je leur ai demand? ce qu?ils faisaient l?, ils m?ont r?pondu : ? Je n?ai pas de travail ? ou ? IL n?y a pas d?eau pour les cultures ?. Cette ?conomie de la mis?re profite surtout aux interm?diaires et aux commanditaires, pas aux villageois. Une nouvelle route d?exportation ? partir du Pakistan s?est ouverte par Gwadar vers Dubai, au moyen des vedettes rapides utilis?es pour le trafic de l?h?ro?ne. Devant ce ph?nom?ne du pillage qui ravage le matrimoine de tous les pays des confins indo-iraniens, nos soci?t?s occidentales ne veulent en rien assumer la responsabilit? du consommateur. Sans demande, il n?y aurait pas d?offre. Vision utopiste ? La mollesse dans la r?ponse de nos soci?t?s face ? cette catastrophe culturelle est assez significative. Il n?y a pas chez le consommateur de ? d?g?ts collat?raux ? qui, eux ont lieu en amont. C?est la diff?rence avec la drogue, o? c?est la soci?t? du consommateur, en aval, qui subit majoritairement les d?g?ts, et s?en prend alors au secteur de production en amont. Mais les r?seaux de trafic sont les m?mes. Pour nous, arch?ologues, un autre probl?me majeur se pose, celui de l?objet pill?. Lorsqu?il est sorti de son contexte, 99 % de l?information scientifique sont d?finitivement perdus. A quoi bon peupler les mus?es de spectres du pass? ? Le pillage n?a-t-il pas toujours exist? en Afghanistan ? Si, mais celui que l?on peut qualifier de cibl? et syst?matique, disons ?conomique, a ?t? organis? ? partir de 1992, du temps des chefs de guerre. C?est-?-dire ? apr?s ? les Sovi?tiques, et ? avant ? les talibans. Le site grec d?A? Khanoum a ?t? pill? ? partir de ces ann?es-l?. Aujourd?hui, le pillage n?a pas diminu?. Ce qui est d?primant, c?est son aspect syst?matique. Par o? passe le trafic d?antiquit?s ? Il semble que la plaque tournante soit toujours Peshawar, au Pakistan. Dans l?urgence actuelle, la seule solution envisageable serait de conditionner tout programme de d?veloppement ? la protection du patrimoine arch?ologique par les responsables locaux (chefs de villages, commandants, ). C?est l?op?ration que nous avons lanc?e cet automne sur le site de T?p? Zargaran ? Bactres. C?est ?galement ce que nous essayons de faire comprendre, non pas aux autorit?s afghanes, qui en ont parfaitement conscience, mais aux responsables internationaux et gestionnaires des op?rations de d?veloppement. Pour eux, ce probl?me n?est pas prioritaire. ? On verra cela apr?s ? , disent-ils. Mais apr?s quoi ? Il ne restera plus rien. Pour le nord du pays, il est d?j? trop tard. De part les fonctions qu?ils occupent, ces gens sont pourtant avertis ? Oui, on pourrait penser qu?ils le sont J?ai d? ?tre tr?s na?f. N?y a-t-il pas de programme de formation pour les gardiens de site ? Le gouvernement afghan est en train de mettre sur pied une brigade de 500 hommes sp?cialis?s dans le gardiennage des sites arch?ologiques. Une centaine aurait d?j? ?t? form?e. Mais les moyens financiers sont plus que r?duits. Pas d??quipements, des salaires modestes et un pays immense. Notre probl?me et le temps. Le pillage est devenu une ?conomie de substitution potentielle pour chaque ch?meur. On a vu des images d?solantes du Mus?e national de Kaboul. Que s?est-il exactement pass? ? Tout ce qui ?tait expos? au mus?e de Kaboul a ?t? pill?, bombard?, br?l?. Mais depuis quelque temps, on s?aper?oit qu?une bonne partie des collections que l?on croyait disparues avait, en r?alit? , ?t? prot?g?e. Nous avons par exemple particip? cette ann?e ? l?inventaire des objets retrouv?s dans les coffres-forts du palais royal, tel le fameux tr?sor de Tilia Tepe. A ?galement ressurgi une partie des ivoires de Bagram que l?on croyait perdus. En fait, certaines collections ont pu ?tre sauv?es par des fonctionnaires du mus?e. Il faut remercier ces gens qui ont pris des risques ?normes. J?ai pu comprendre que les Afghans ne tenaient pas non plus ? tout ressortir maintenant. Ils ne poss?dent pas de structures s?curis?es pour de tels tr?sors. Alors pour l?instant, les objets remontant au compte-gouttes. Et en dehors de ce pays, o? se trouvent les plus importantes collections d?art afghan ? A Paris, la collection du mus?e Guimet est la plus importante du monde. Pendant des d?cennies, la France a eu ce que certains ont appel? un droit ? exorbitant ?, celui de l?exclusivit? de la recherche arch?ologique en Afghanistan. Comment avait-il ?t? attribu? ? En 1922, le roi Amanullah avait ouvert une nouvelle ?re politique en demandant ? la France de s?occuper de la recherche arch?ologique sur son territoire, rest? jusque-l? inaccessible aux ?trangers. D?s l?origine, cette collaboration ?tait donc une volont? du gouvernement afghan. L?exclusivit? des recherches arch?ologiques avait effectivement ?t? attribu?e ? la France dans la premi?re convention arch?ologique franco-afghane, mais cette situation a chang? apr?s la Seconde guerre mondiale. Quelles nations travaillent aujourd?hui en Afghanistan ? Les arch?ologues allemands, avec qui nous avons d?ailleurs un programme commun sur Herat. Il y a aussi nos coll?gues italiens. Il faut ?galement rappeler le travail consid?rable effectu? par l?ONG Spach (Society for the Protection of Afghanistan?s Cultural Heritage) qui travaille sur le sauvetage du patrimoine. Une mission japonaise se trouve ? Bamiyan. Mais pour l?instant, et, je dirais malheureusement, la Dafa est l?unique mission arch?ologique permanente. Les Japonais sont les plus gros donateurs de l?Unesco, et l?Afghanistan a une ?norme importance pour eux. Pourquoi ? Ils focalisent leur aide sur des secteurs qui les concernent culturellement. Ils s?int?ressent surtout ? l?histoire bouddhique de l?Afghanistan. Pour eux, Bamiyan est donc un des grands centres ? pr?server. Et les Am?ricains ? Il faut plut?t parler de notre unique coll?gue pr?sent au titre de la National Geographic Society, l?arch?ologue Fredrik Hiebert. Les medias anglos-saxons ont annonc? une prochaine exposition des tr?sors afghans aux Etats-Unis. La France semblait avoir ?mis le m?me souhait. Qu?en est-il ? La National Geographic Society a totalement financ? les frais d?enregistrement des tr?sors provenant des coffres-forts du palais royal ? Kaboul. Le minist?re de la Culture afghan a en effet souhait? faire, avant toute chose, un inventaire des collections. Durant plusieurs mois, des sp?cialistes, dont des Fran?ais de la Dafa et du mus?e Guimet, se sont ainsi r?unis dans les caves du Palais. Une quinzaine de personnes se trouvaient dans la pi?ce : des repr?sentants des autorit?s, des experts et des gardes. Les coffre-forts ?taient ouverts devant au burin : chaque objet ?tait sorti devant huissier, identifi?, d?crit, enregistr?s, film?, et enfin conditionn? pour rejoindre de nouveaux coffres. Mais nous avions l?interdiction de prendre des photos ? y compris le National Geographic Magazine ! Cela fut un travail consid?rable, conduit sous la responsabilit? d?Omara Khan Massoudi, directeur du mus?e de Kaboul. Du fait de son importante contribution financi?re, le National Geographic devrait ?tre le premier ? pr?senter l?exposition de ces tr?sors. Laquelle viendra ensuite en France. Mais pour l?instant, tout cela est encore assez flou. Aucun accord ou date n?ont ?t? fix?s. Ni pour les Etats-Unis, ni pour la France. Dans un pays o? les trois quarts des 22 millions d?habitants sont analphab?tes, comment la population appr?hende-t-elle son histoire ? La tradition orale est tr?s importante. Et leur histoire, les Afghans la connaissent ? leur fa?on. Magnifi?e, mi-conte mi-l?gende, elle est tr?s souvent le sujet des conversations qui baignent les longues soir?es d?hiver autour du th?. Cette population a ?norm?ment souffert. Que peut repr?senter, pour elles, la notion de protection du patrimoine ? Vous aviez rencontr? le commandant Massoud, quel ?tait son ?tat d?esprit ? ce sujet ? J?avais ?voqu? ce probl?me avec lui lors d?une rencontre ? Khwaja Bahauddin. Il avait parfaitement conscience de l?importance du patrimoine pour l?identit? culturelle du pays. Pendant la guerre, dans la vall?e du Panshir, il n??tait pas question de toucher aux vestiges arch?ologiques. Massoud faisait arr?ter pilleurs et trafiquants. Dans les zones qu?il contr?lait via des commandants locaux, il lui ?tait plus difficile, en temps de guerre, d?en exiger autant de ses alli?s. Ce fut par exemple le cas d?A? Khanoum. D?s sa mort les pillages se sont ?tendus de plus belle. Lors d?une r?union, j?ai pu entendre des Afghans dire : ? Maintenant que Massoud n?est plus l?, les petits commandants ne se g?nent plus ? C?est un des rares, sinon le seul que j?ai connu, qui avait cette conscience politique du patrimoine. Depuis, beaucoup de commandants de l?Alliance du Nord ont trahi sa m?moire Sauf quelques-uns, dont un ami qui nous aide ?norm?ment. Il veille ? notre s?curit?. Quand la situation dans un secteur n?est pas s?re, il nous le fait savoir. Il souhaiterait lui aussi que les objets restent en Afghanistan et que des mus?es soient construits pour les g?n?rations futures, ainsi que pour les touristes que tous les Afghans aimeraient voir revenir. Mais en m?me temps, il a si peu confiance en ce qui se passe dans la capitale Il faut quand m?me ?tre bien conscient que les antiquit?s, c?est comme les ?meraudes, le lapis-lazuli ou la drogue, cela sert ? acheter des armes. Propos recueillis par Bernadette Arnaud Photos : Denis Dailleux/ Vu pour Sciences et Avenir. ________________________________ Nomm? ? la t?te de la prestigieuse Dafa (D?l?gation arch?ologique fran?aise en Afghanistan), rouverte ? Kaboul en 2002, Roland Besenval a commenc? ? travailler en Iran et en Afghanistan d?s les ann?es 1970 gr?ce ? sa connaissance du persan. Apr?s ?tre pass? par Beyrouth (Libazn), puis New Delhi (Inde), ce docteur en arch?ologie a int?gr? le CNRS en 1984. Il est aujourd?hui directeur de recherche, avant de se rendre au Tadjikistan et au Pakistan, pays dans lesquels il continue ? diriger d?importantes missions arch?ologiques. Translation of the above: http://snipurl.com/d4lx From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 07:29:07 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 07:29:07 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Ancient sky map or fake? German experts row over star disc Message-ID: <20050301062915.SJRW14848.amsfep17-int.chello.nl@cremers> Ancient sky map or fake? German experts row over star disc Luke Harding in Berlin Tuesday March 1, 2005 The Guardian One of Germany's most acclaimed archaeological finds - a 3,600-year-old disc depicting the stars and the planets - is at the centre of a dispute following claims that it is a modern forgery. According to Germany's museum establishment, the Sky Disc of Nebra is the oldest depiction of the heavens discovered and offers an insight into the Bronze Age mind. But the authenticity of the disc has been challenged by one of the country's leading archaeologists, Peter Schauer of Regensburg University. He told a court in Halle that the artefact was nothing more than an amateurish forgery. Prof Schauer said that the ancient-looking green patina on the artefact was not old at all, and had probably been artificially created in a workshop using acid, urine and a blowtorch. The indentations on the disc's side, meanwhile, were also not made by a Bronze Age tool but were done by machine, he said. "My colleagues don't want to believe it. But there is little doubt that the disc is a fake," he told the Guardian yesterday. "It looks very nice. It has the sky and the stars. You can even see the Pleiades. But I'm afraid it's a piece of fantasy." The disc was allegedly found in 1999 by two amateur metal detectors. They claimed they discovered it in a muddy field close to a prehistoric hill fort near the east German town of Nebra, with two ancient swords and jewellery. The amateur archaeologists then attempted to sell the disc to various German museums for 1m Deutschmarks. Police in the Swiss city of Basel eventually arrested the pair and they were convicted of handling stolen goods. They are appealing against the sentence, arguing that if the disk is a fake they should not have been convicted in the first place. Last week a judge in Halle called Prof Schauer as an expert witness after he wrote a letter to the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper last November saying that the disc was a fake. Other experts, though, have poured scorn on the professor's testimony. "An examination of the patina confirms its ancient origins ... I have no doubt that it does indeed come from the Bronze Age," another professor, Josef Riederer, told the court. Tests revealed that the disc had come from the Nebra site, yet another expert, Gregor Borg, claimed. The case is embarrassing Germany's curatorial establishment, which had hailed the disc as the most sensational archaeological discovery of the last century. The disc, with its gold appliqu?s, was the oldest concrete representation of the cosmos to date and a key find not only for archaeology but also for astronomy and the history of religion, experts claimed. It probably belonged to an early Bronze Age prince, they added, who would have exchanged goods across Europe. Thousands of Germans have flocked to an exhibition in Halle to see the disc. Yesterday, however, Prof Schauer said the disc could have been manufactured by shamans from Siberia, and was probably no more than "two or three hundred years old". Asked whether he might be wrong, he replied: "I spent 19 years examining finds from across the ancient and Roman world. I know what I'm talking about." The judge is likely to rule on the case next week. http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,2763,1427599,00.html From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 21:33:42 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 21:33:42 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Return of Axum obelisk 'imminent' Message-ID: <20050301203345.UVXT1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> ________________________________ Van: shlomo at eastafricaforum.net [mailto:shlomo at eastafricaforum.net] Verzonden: dinsdag 1 maart 2005 19:40 Aan: shlomo at eastafricaforum.net Onderwerp: Return of Axum obelisk 'imminent' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4308647.stm Tuesday, 1 March, 2005 Return of Axum obelisk 'imminent' Axum obelisk The top section of the obelisk will be the first to arrive in Ethiopia Ethiopia's government has said Italy is to return the first piece of a historic obelisk from Rome to its home in Axum by the end of March. The move breaks a long deadlock over the return of a monument taken from the northern town of Axum in 1937, during Italy's brief occupation of Ethiopia. The 160-tonne pillar has been broken into three pieces to ease transport. The Ethiopian foreign ministry said the whole of the 1,700-year-old obelisk should be back by the end of April. National celebration Spokesman Solomon Abebe Tassema said the top section of the 24m (82 foot) block would be flown to Ethiopia by the end of March, with the lower pieces following afterwards. The Italian government has agreed to pay 340m euros ($450m) to transport the obelisk by cargo plane to Ethiopia and reconstruct it at its original site in Axum, the Associated Press news agency says. The Ethiopian authorities are thought to be planning a national celebration to mark its return. The monument has been a bone of contention between the two countries for decades, with the Ethiopian government accusing Rome of stalling over its return. Italy signed a pledge to the UN to give back the obelisk - seized by Italian troops under Italy's fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini - in 1947 but has not followed through until now. Rome repeated its promise in 2004, during a visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to Italy. Richard Pankhurst, an expert on Ethiopian history at Addis Ababa University, told AP: "We have been working on this for many years. "But Italy still has not returned two major things - one is the national archives and the other is former Emperor Haile Selassie's pre-war airplane." The obelisk will not return home entirely unscathed from its 70-year stay down the road from Rome's Coliseum. As well as being cut into pieces, it has been damaged by pollution and a lightning strike in 2002. From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 21:45:27 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 21:45:27 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Arts Minister Halts The Export Of Rare Cast Iron Fire Place. Message-ID: <20050301204530.XAIZ14848.amsfep17-int.chello.nl@cremers> Arts Minister Halts The Export Of Rare Cast Iron Fire Place. The Minister's ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. The deferral will enable purchase offers to be made at the following agreed fair market price: Arts Minister, Estelle Morris, has placed a temporary export bar on a cast iron fire basket, designed by Charles Sargeant Jagger for the financier Henry Mond. This fire basket, which is signed and dated 1930, is the only known utilitarian piece of ironwork to have been designed by Jagger, one of the pre-eminent British sculptors of the early twentieth century. The object is a highly original work of art and rich in symbolism. It formed an integral part of an opulently decorative interior, designed in 1930 by the architect, Darcy Braddell, for Mulberry House, home to Henry Mond and his wife Gwen. Jagger depicted a parrot flanked by two snarling leopards hiding behind female masks to signify the "double face" and "cattiness" of society gossip. Henry and Gwen Mond had commissioned the fire basket, and a gilt relief featuring them standing naked before outraged onlookers, as a humorous reference to their menage a trois with the writer Gilbert Cannan. The Minister's ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. The deferral will enable purchase offers to be made at the following agreed fair market price: A cast iron fire basket, 1930, by Charles Sargeant Jagger, deferred at the recommended price of ?66,000 (exclusive of VAT), until after 1 May 2005 with the possibility of an extension until after 1 July 2005 if there is a serious intention to raise funds with a view to making an offer to purchase. Charles Sergeant Jagger was born in Kilnhurst, near Sheffield, on 17 December, 1885. In 1908 he was awarded a scholarship by West Riding Council to study at the Royal College of Art where he studied sculpture and modelling until 1911 under the distinguished sculptor, Professor Edouard Lanteri. He became Lanteri's studio assistant and instructor in modelling at Lambeth School of Art, 1912-14 and in July 1914, he was awarded the British School at Rome's two-year scholarship in sculpture. Jagger served in the First World War and was wounded three times, the last seriously. Following the war, he undertook numerous war memorial commissions of which one of the most famous (and regarded by many as his masterpiece) is the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner, completed in 1925. He died, unexpectedly of pneumonia on 16 November, 1934. The Mond family were important patrons of the Arts. Sir Alfred Mond, financier, industrialist and politician, the first chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, the father of Henry Mond and the first Lord Melchett, was an influential patron of Jagger throughout his career. As Minister for Works and Chairman of the Imperial War Museum, he was instrumental in securing Jagger's appointment as an Official War Artist in 1918 and crucially, directed Jagger's appointment as the sole sculptor for the allegorical figures that were to be placed on the fifth floor balustrade for the new ICI headquarters at Millbank, built between 1928 and 1931. Apart from his series of war memorials which have defined Jagger's career and for which he is justly famous, his work for ICI House was one of Jagger's most important commissions. The social circle of Henry Mond reflected his artistic ambitions and included artists such as Jagger, Glyn Philpot, Edward Seago (1910-74), Augustus John (1878-1961) and skirted the fringes of the Bloomsbury circle, all of whom were, in temperament or sexual mores, outsiders within the establishment. This reflected the Monds' own ambiguous relationship with society. Respected for immense wealth, the Monds suffered racial discrimination due to the family's Jewish heritage. This was a contributing factor to the motivation behind the Mulberry House commission. An archaic element in the design for the fire basket indicates the extent to which Jagger had begun to take a more decorative approach to sculpture and anticipates changes that were to emerge in his late monumental works. The strongly Art Deco element in the relief and the fire basket firmly established an element of radical modernity to the whole scheme, challenging accepted conventions in interior decoration. This challenge reflected the Monds' scandalous liaison, which further challenged society's rules not only by its unconventional nature but also by being a love-match between different classes - Henry, heir to the ICI fortune, and Gwen, a colonial, from an unknown South African family. Anyone interested in making an offer to purchase the fire basket should contact the owner's agent through: The Secretary The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Mar 1 21:47:35 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 21:47:35 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] STEALING OUR HISTORY: MISSING MARKERS DISTURB KEEPERS OF STATE'S PAST Message-ID: <20050301204738.WNUV11192.amsfep13-int.chello.nl@cremers> STEALING OUR HISTORY: MISSING MARKERS DISTURB KEEPERS OF STATE'S PAST Larry Douglas shows a formerly missing marker that found its way back to the State Historical Society. CHUCK NOVARA / THE SOUTHERN BY NICOLE SACK THE SOUTHERN MURPHYSBORO -- Illinois State Historical Society members are concerned and angry over the continued theft of historic markers from sites important to Illinois history. During a press conference Monday morning at the John A. Logan Museum, members of the Illinois Historical Society discussed a growing problem of missing and stolen historical markers leaving the state, particularly Southern Illinois, poor in its institutional memory. Larry Douglas, board member of the Historical Society of Southern Illinois, said there are more than 400 locations designated to have historic markers around the state to inform residents and tourists of the historical significance of sites. But with a trend of thefts, the information offered by the markers is evaporating. Jon Musgrave, advisory board member of the historical society, said half the historical markers in Southern Illinois are missing. Musgrave said some counties, including Williamson County, are completely void of the informational signs. "Markers are important because they help educate people that something important happened here or near here," Musgrave said. "They offer a vast history that is otherwise locked away in a book or some archive." Musgrave theorized it might be the perceived value of the signs' metal that has prompted the theft. To fight against the lure of thieves salvaging the metal from plaques for cash, the historical society will install the first non-metallic composite marker in Springfield later this week. It is hoped thieves will find the new markers less attractive. It costs about $2,500 to replace a stolen historic marker. That includes the cost for casting, mounting and erecting the markers. Some historic markers are being recovered. Michael Batinski, member of the historical society and professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, recovered a marker believed to have been stolen as a college prank. A recovered sign from the Kaskaskia Reservation was on hand at the museum awaiting its rededication "Very few people realize we had an Indian reservation right here in Southern Illinois just southwest of here in Jackson County," Musgrave said. Douglas pointed out that while there was a wave of markers erected in the 1930s, there are still no signs indicating the Tri-State Tornado of 1925 that devastated Murphysboro, De Soto, Gorham and West Frankfort, or designating the site of the first coal mine in Southern Illinois. To help promote awareness of the state's rich history, Gov. Rod Blagojevich proclaimed this week as Illinois State Historical Society Markers Awareness Week. For more information about how to contribute to the Illinois State Historical Society go to http://www.historyillinois.org. Nicole.sack at thesouthern.com 618-351-5816 From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Mar 2 07:01:16 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 07:01:16 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] FW: Art Theft in Denver, Colorado USA Message-ID: <20050302060122.BENR12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> ________________________________ From: Bridget Biernat [mailto:bridget at artseditorial.com] Sent: 02 March 2005 04:41 To: toncremers at museum-security.org Subject: Art Theft in Denver, Colorado USA On 12 February 2005, a man slipped into a downtown Denver gallery and stole a painting, frame and all, right from the wall. The piece, an expressionistic oil painting of a female head by artist Ron Hicks, titled "Melancholy" was part of the gallery's current exhibition. The painting is 7 inches by 5 inches and signed HICKS in the lower right corner. The gallery has been notified that the thief has already made attempts to sell the painting locally. The thief is a man, but no other description is known. Thief entered building at: around 2:35 pm Sat. 2/12/05 Time of theft: around 2:45 pm Sat. 2/12/05 Called in to Police: Around 3:05 pm Police arrived at: 3:45 pm The painting can be viewed at the gallery's website at: http://www.gallery1261.com/hicks/melancholy.htm Gallery 1261, a contemporary art space located in the heart of the Golden Triangle Arts District, is just a short walk from the Denver Art Museum's new wing designed by architect Daniel Liebeskind. A reward is being offered for the return of this painting. Thank you to anyone who aid in this paintings recovery. Christine T. Serr Bridget M. Biernat Gallery 1261 1261 Delaware Denver, CO 80204 720-571-1261 info at gallery1261.com From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Mar 2 07:47:07 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 07:47:07 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?UK=3A_Appeal_Hearing_on_=A31=2E9M_Va?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ses_Case_?= Message-ID: <20050302064709.RRAY22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Appeal Hearing on ?1.9M Vases Case By Jan Colley, PA A legal dispute over the authenticity of the Houghton vases returns to court today. Art collector Taylor Thomson, the 41-year-old daughter of Lord Thomson of Fleet, and auction house Christie?s are both challenging aspects of a High Court judge?s ruling over the ornate porphyry and ormolu urns. Ms Thomson bought them for ?1.9 million at auction in December 1994 as part of a sale from the Marquess of Cholmondeley?s Norfolk seat, Houghton Hall. They had an estimate of ?400,000 to ?600,000 and were described in the catalogue as 18th century Louis XV vases designed around 1760 for Philip Duke of Parma or a courtier by Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot. Ms Thomson claimed that they were, in fact, inferior 19th century imitations worth ?30,000 at most. She sued for her ?1.9 million back plus 10 years? interest. Christie?s case, based on expert evidence, was that there was not a ?shadow of a doubt? that the vases were genuine. In a complex judgment last May, Mr Justice Jack ruled in Ms Thomson?s favour. He concluded that he could not be certain the urns were made in the 18th century ? around 1760 to 1765 ? but he thought it was 70% likely. He also concluded that Christie?s dating of the urns as Louis XV without qualification was an opinion which an auctioneer of their standing could reasonably reach ? and that there was no breach of duty on their part in that regard. But, he did think that Christie?s cataloguing fell below the standard to be expected in several respects, which resulted in an ?unjustified? feeling of confidence and certainty about the urns. He concluded that Christie?s gave ?what was in the circumstances an incomplete picture and Ms Thomson was entitled to a fuller one?. The circumstances required them to tell her that the dating of objects in this area was unusually difficult because of copies and imitations of 18th century items which were made in the Second Empire and following. Had Ms Thomson been told of the 19th century revivalist fashion and of the difficulties which it introduced, she would not have bid. The hearing in the Court of Appeal before Lord Justice May, Lord Justice Jonathan Parker and Lady Justice Smith is expected to last up to seven days. Latest News: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Mar 2 12:08:00 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 12:08:00 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Wuppertal will finally restitute three works of looted art to the heirs of former Jewish owners on the basis of the 1998 Washington Principles. Message-ID: <20050302110803.IDRR21348.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> ________________________________ From: mailman-bounces at te.verweg.com [mailto:mailman-bounces at te.verweg.com] On Behalf Of Koldehoff, Stefan Sent: 02 March 2005 12:05 To: cpprot-owner at te.verweg.com Subject: Importance: High this might be interesting for you to have. After 14 months of quarrels, the city of Wuppertal will finally restitute three works of looted art to the heirs of former Jewish owners on the basis of the 1998 Washington Principles. WUPPERTAL Gro?e Mehrheit f?r R?ckgabe Bilder aus dem Von der Heydt-Museum werden freiwillig restituiert. Wuppertal. Neben vielen strittigen Punkten einer langen Ratssitzung waren die Stadtpolitiker bei diesem Thema einer Meinung. Nur die Republikaner verweigerten sich dem Beschluss, zwei Bilder aus dem Von der Heydt-Museum freiwillig an die Erben der j?dischen Vorbesitzer zur?ck zu geben. Schon einmal hatte der Rat die R?ckgabe beschlossen: Ein Werk sollte (und soll) aus moralischen Gr?nden restituiert werden, zwei weitere Bilder aufgrund von Rechtsanspr?chen der Erben. Mehr als ein Jahr lang wurde weder das eine noch das andere vollzogen, dann kam das st?dtische Rechtsamt wie berichtet nach einem neuen Urteil des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts zu der Auffassung, es gebe doch keine Rechtsgrundlage f?r eine R?ckgabe der Bilder laut Verm?gensgesetz. Nun hat sich der Rat entgegen einem Appell des Kunstund Museumsvereins, ?ber eine Abfindung zu verhandeln und die Werke so im Museum zu halten, f?r die freiwillige R?ckgabe auch dieser beiden Bilder (Adolf von Menzel, "Erinnerung vom Dampfboot auf der Donau", und Otto Scholderer, "Felsige Flusslandschaft") entschieden. ?ber das dritte Bild, "Tatar mit Pferd" von Hans von Marees, wurde nicht mehr gesprochen, ist doch die R?ckgabe bereits seit Dezember 2003 beschlossene Sache. F?r die CDU machte der Stadtverordnete Wilfried Klein deutlich, dass die Herausgabe nach der "wechselhaften Geschichte" des Ratsbeschlusses nun Ultima ratio sei, keinesfalls aber eine Pr?zedenzwirkung habe. Sprecher der anderen Fraktionen betonten die Verantwortung des Rates und bekannten sich zur R?ckgabe. Die Stadtverordneten lie?en keinen Zweifel daran, dass sie nun eine z?gige Umsetzung dieses Ratsbeschlusses erwarten. Wie Kulturdezernentin Marlis Drevermann im WZ-Gespr?ch mitteilte, gibt es bereits zwei weitere, noch nicht abschlie?end gepr?fte R?ckgabeforderungen. 02.03.05 Von Ulla Dahmen Bild (Metafile)Wuppertal From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Wed Mar 2 13:02:50 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Bruggeman Solutions) Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 13:02:50 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Espa=F1a/Spain=3A_Mallorca_pide_al_G?= =?iso-8859-1?q?obierno_el_retorno_de_los_toros_de_Costitx/_Majorca_reques?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ts_the_return_of_the_bulls_of_Costitx?= Message-ID: <4225AB6A.40505@bruggemansolutions.com> ++ English translation at the end of this message ++ La presidenta del Consell de Mallorca pide hoy al Gobierno el retorno de los toros de Costitx a Baleares La presidenta del Consell de Mallorca, Maria Antonia Munar, se re?ne hoy con el director general de Bellas Artes y Bienes Culturales del Ministerio de Cultura, Juli?n Mart?nez, para abordar el retorno de los 'caps de bous' de Costitx a Mallorca. El acto tendr? lugar en la sede de la Direcci?n, ubicada en la Plaza del Rey de Madrid. Munar ya se?al? hace mes y medio que pedir?a al Gobierno central el retorno a Mallorca de algunos de los toros de Costitx por las mismas razones que han permitido, por ejemplo, el traslado temporal de la Dama de Elche al Palacio de Altamira de Alicante, autorizado por la direcci?n general de Bellas Artes despu?s de considerar que la reforma del museo garantiza la conservaci?n y seguridad de la pieza. Maria Antonia Munar alegar? en su petici?n que Mallorca cuenta con museos que garantizan que los toros de Costitx est?n exactamente igual de protegidos y en las mismas condiciones que en el Museo Arqueol?gico Nacional, donde est?n ubicados actualmente. La presidenta, que prioriza ante todo la preservaci?n de los toros, se?ala que deber? estudiarse posteriormente qu? museo o espacio deber? albergar las piezas. La presidenta del Consell considera que ahora es el "momento propicio" para plantear esta demanda "dados los precedentes que se est?n creando". Sin embargo, puntualiza que en ning?n caso pretende entrar en pol?mica, ni hablar de expolios, y recuerda que hace veinte a?os ya solicit? por primera vez el retorno de estas piezas a Mallorca. Los toros de Costitx son tres cabezas de bronce de la ?poca talay?tica, hallados en 1894 en las excavaciones del santuario de Son Corr? y adquiridos por el Museo Arqueol?gico Nacional, despu?s de que ninguna instituci?n mallorquina pudiera reunir las 3.500 pesetas que ped?a su propietario. La ?ltima vez que se expusieron en la isla fue en 1994, con motivo del centenario de su descubrimiento. http://www.hispanidad.com/noticia_ep.aspx?ID=20050302091013 +++ English translation by www.freetranslation.com): The president of the Consell of Majorca asks today al Government the return of the bulls of Costitx to the Balearic islands. The president of the Consell of Majorca, Maria Antonia Munar, gathers today with the general director of Fine Arts and Cultural Goods of the Department of Culture, Juli?n Mart?nez, to undertake the return of the 'caps of bous' of Costitx to Majorca. The act will take place in the headquarters of the Direction, located in the Plaza of the King of Madrid. Munar already indicated month ago and medium that would ask al central Government the return to Majorca of some of the bulls of Costitx by the same reasons that have permitted, for example, the temporary transfer of the Lady of Elche al Palace of Altamira of Alicante, authorized by the general direction of Fine Arts after considering that the reform of the museum guarantees the conservation and security of the piece. Maria Antonia Munar will allege in their petition that Majorca counts on museums that guarantee that the bulls of Costitx be exactly equal of protected and in the same conditions that in the National Archaeological Museum, where they are located at present. The president, that prioritizes above all the preservation of the bulls, indicates that should be studied subsequently what museum or space should harbor the pieces. The president of the Consell considers that now he is the "favorable moment" to present this demand "given the precedents that are being created". Nevertheless, it states that in no case intends to enter polemics, neither to speak of plunderings, and recalls that twenty years ago already requested for the first time the return of these pieces to Majorca. The bulls of Costitx are three bronze heads of the epoch talay?tica, found in 1894 in the excavations of the sanctuary of they Are Corr? and acquired by the National Archaeological Museum, after any Majorcan institution could meet the 3.500 pesetas that asked its owner. The last time that were exposed in the island was in 1994, because of the centennial of its discovery. From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Wed Mar 2 14:19:12 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Bruggeman Solutions) Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 14:19:12 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Espa=F1a/Spain_-_Austria=3A_Controve?= =?iso-8859-1?q?rsia_sobre_obras_cedidas_en_pr=E9stamo_sin_los_permisos_le?= =?iso-8859-1?q?gales_necesarios/_Controversy_on_works_yielded_in_loan_wit?= =?iso-8859-1?q?hout_the_necessary_legal_permission?= Message-ID: <4225BD50.30604@bruggemansolutions.com> ++ English translation at the end of this message ++ El Prado deber? devolver a Viena ''La liebre'' y cuatro dibujos m?s de Durero La pinacoteca recuerda que ha cumplido "escrupulosamente" los compromisos del contrato de pr?stamo firmado con la Albertina de Viena. Los cuadros, que han salido sin permiso, estar?n en Madrid hasta la inauguraci?n de la exposici?n y luego ser?n sustituido por reproducciones. El Museo del Prado de Madrid deber? devolver a la Albertina de Viena en un plazo m?ximo de cuatro semanas la obra de Alberto Durero ''La liebre'', que fue trasladada a la capital espa?ola para una exposici?n sin autorizarse su salida de Austria. La ministra austr?aca de Educaci?n, la conservadora Elisabeth Gehrer, subray? ayer en Viena que junto al cuadro deber?n volver a la capital austr?aca otros cuatro dibujos de Durero "altamente sensibles" que viajaron indebidamente a Madrid. Desde la pinacoteca espa?ola se destac? que se ha cumplido "escrupulosamente" los compromisos del contrato de pr?stamo firmado con la Albertina de Viena para la exposici?n de Durero, y conf?a en que las autoridades culturales austr?acas "colaboren sin reserva alguna" para que la muestra pueda celebrarse con las obras acordadas previamente. A?adi? que por ello y "para permitir que Austria se encuentre representada en el Prado adecuadamente" los originales de las cinco piezas "estar?n presentes en la inauguraci?n" de la exposici?n ''Durero - Obras maestras de la Albertina'' el pr?ximo 8 de marzo y luego ser?n sustituidos por r?plicas. De un segundo env?o con obras de la Albertina que se encuentra a la espera de viajar a Madrid ha sido excluida tambi?n la obra del maestro alem?n "Grosse Rasenst?ck", mientras el resto de las piezas seleccionadas podr? viajar a Espa?a como estaba previsto.Gehrer subray? que su ministerio, del que depende el Patrimonio Cultural Austr?aco, no hab?a sido informado a tiempo de que ''La liebre'' de Durero iba a viajar a Madrid y abandonar el Museo de la Albertina por primera vez desde su adquisici?n en 1796. Pese a todo coment? que no habr? consecuencias para el director de la Albertina, Klaus Albrecht Schroeder, quien permiti? el pr?stamo al Prado de las delicadas obras sin la autorizaci?n pertinente, que no solicit? formalmente hasta el d?a anterior a la partida del primer env?o. La causa "no tiene relevancia penal", dijo la ministra, quien se?al? que s?lo se ha tratado de "una simple violaci?n de una exigencia administrativa". Sin embargo, al cabo de cuatro semanas ser?n sustituidos por r?plicas para "evitar da?os" a los originales que, tras su muestra en Viena en 2003, deb?an haber "descansado" varios a?os en los fondos del prestigioso museo vien?s. El traslado "ilegal" de ''La liebre'' y otras obras de Durero a Madrid fue destapado la semana pasada por la televisi?n p?blica austr?aca y desat? un peque?o esc?ndalo en la Rep?blica alpina ante una situaci?n que aparentemente nunca se ha visto en este pa?s. Seg?n confirm? entonces a EFE Eva-Maria Hoehle, m?xima responsable de la conservaci?n del patrimonio hist?rico-art?stico de Austria, una parte de los cuadros que deb?an mostrarse en la pr?xima exposici?n del Prado hab?an viajado ya a Madrid aunque la autoridad competente, la Oficina Federal del Patrimonio Monumental (BDA), le neg? el indispensable permiso de salida de Austria. Hoehle record? que la colecci?n del maestro alem?n Alberto Durero (1471-1528) que posee la Albertina es de primera categor?a y que sus m?s destacadas piezas se mostraron en el a?o 2003 en Viena, tras lo cual deber?an "descansar" varios a?os, raz?n por la cual la BDA se mostr? sorprendida por que se esperase autom?ticamente un permiso para mostrarlos en el extranjero. Prado conf?a en que se cumpla lo acordado El Museo del Prado asegura que ha cumplido "escrupulosamente" los compromisos del contrato de pr?stamo firmado con la Albertina de Viena para la exposici?n de Durero, y conf?a en que las autoridades culturales austr?acas "colaboren sin reserva alguna" para que la muestra pueda celebrarse con las obras acordadas previamente. El cuadro de ''La liebre'', que no hab?a salido del museo La Albertina desde su adquisici?n en 1796, lleg? el pasado 18 de febrero al Museo del Prado, junto con otras 56 obras, en el primero de los env?os previstos para la citada exposici?n. El de "Hierbas" formaba parte de un segundo env?o que ten?a que llegar esta misma semana a Madrid. La pinacoteca que dirige Miguel Zugaza recuerda que el pasado 10 de noviembre firm? un contrato por el que La Albertina se obligaba a prestar al Prado 87 obras originales de Durero, destinadas a la exposici?n ''Durero. Obras maestras de La Albertina'', que se inaugura el pr?ximo 8 de marzo. "La r?brica de ese contrato, que obliga a las partes desde el momento de su firma, fue la culminaci?n de dos a?os de conversaciones y negociaciones entre ambos Museos", se indica en el comunicado. Como es habitual en este tipo de acuerdos, se establecieron "precisas y estrictas medidas y condiciones" que el Prado deb?a cumplir en relaci?n con el transporte, seguridad y exposici?n de dichas obras. El Museo espa?ol deja claro que "la obtenci?n de permisos administrativos de Derecho Austr?aco corresponde, de ser esos permisos necesarios, al museo prestador de las obras", es decir, a la Albertina de Viena. El Prado "es ajeno" a dichos tr?mites. Tras conocer ayer, a trav?s de la Albertina, la decisi?n del Ministerio de Educaci?n y Cultura de Austria de impedir la salida del cuadro ''Hierbas'' y de limitar a cuatro meses la permanencia en Madrid de "La liebre", en contra de lo establecido en el contrato de pr?stamo, el Prado hace hincapi? en que "ha cumplido escrupulosamente" los compromisos contra?dos con el museo vien?s."La alta calidad y condiciones de las salas que albergar?n las obras ha sido reconocida por la Comisi?n de Patrimonio austr?aco en su visita a Madrid el pasado 26 de febrero", se a?ade en el comunicado.Asimismo, la pinacoteca espa?ola mantiene el programa previsto para abrir al p?blico la exposici?n el 8 de marzo, "atendiendo as? a las leg?timas expectativas que se han creado en el p?blico espa?ol". Por ?ltimo, los responsables del Prado conf?an en que la Albertina "honre sus compromisos contractuales en los t?rminos del contrato de pr?stamo y que las autoridades culturales austr?acas colaboren sin reserva alguna a tal fin". Art?culo del d?a 01/03/2005 http://www.estrelladigital.es/articulo.asp?sec=cul&fech=01/03/2005&name=prado# +++ English translation by www.freetranslation.com): The Prado should return to Vienna '' The hare'' and four other drawings of Albrecht D?rer The art gallery recalls that has completed "scrupulously" the commitments of the contract of loan signed with the Albertina of Vienna. The pictures, that have left without permission, they will be in Madrid to the inauguration of the exposition and then they will be substituted by reproductions. The Prado of Madrid should return to the Albertina of Vienna in a maximum time limit from four weeks the work of Alberto Durero '' The hare'', that was transferred to the Spanish capital for an exposition without being authorized its exit of Austria. The Austrian minister of Education, the conservative one Elisabeth Gehrer, underlined yesterday in Vienna that together with this picture they should return to the Austrian capital four other "highly sensitive" drawings of D?rer that also travelled unduly to Madrid. Since the Spanish art gallery was emphasized that has completed itself "scrupulously" the commitments of the contract of loan signed with the Albertina of Vienna for the exposition of Durero, and trusts in which the Austrian cultural authorities "they collaborate without any reserve" so that the sample can be celebrated with the works as agreed previously. It added that because of it and "to permit that Austria be found represented in the adequate Field" the original of the five pieces "been present in the inauguration" of the exposition '' Durero - Masterpieces of the Albertina'' the next one 8 of March and then they will be substituted by replicas. Of a second shipment with works of the Albertina that is found to the wait to travel to Madrid has been excluded also the work of the German teacher "Grosse Rasenst?ck", while the remainder of the pieces selected will be able to travel to Spain as was predicted. Gehrer underlined that its department, of the one that the Austrian Cultural Patrimony depends, had not been informed time that '' The hare'' of Durero was going to travel to Madrid and to abandon the Museum of the Albertina for the first time since its acquisition in 1796. Despite all commented that there will not be consequences for the director of the Albertina, Klaus Albrecht Schroeder, who permitted the loan to the Prado of the delicate works without the pertinent authorization, that did not request formally to the previous day to the departure of the first shipment. The cause "does not have penal importance", the minister said, who indicated that only herself tried "a simple violation of an administrative demand". Nevertheless, al tip of four weeks they will be substituted by replicas for "to avoid damages" to the original that, after their sample in Vienna in 2003, to should should rested" various years in the funds of the prestigious Viennese museum. The 'illegal' transfer of '' The hare'' and other works of Durero to Madrid was uncovered last week by the Austrian public television and untied a small scandal in the alpine Republic before a situation that apparently never has been seen in this country. As it confirmed then to EFE Eva-Maria Hoehle, maximum responsible for the conservation of the historic-artistic patrimony of Austria, a part of the pictures that should be shown in the next exposition of the Field they had travelled already to Madrid although the competent authority, the Federal Office of the Monumental Patrimony (BDA), the indispensable permission denied him at the outset of Austria. Hoehle recalled that the collection of the German teacher Alberto Durero (1471-1528) that possesses the Albertina he is of first category and that its more noticeable pieces were shown in the year 2003 in Vienna, after which they would owe "to rest" various years, reason by which the BDA was shown surprised because a permission was received automatically to show them abroad. th Prado trusts in which comply it agreed The Prado assures that it has completed "scrupulously" the commitments of the contract of loan signed with the Albertina of Vienna for the exposition of Durero, and trusts in which the Austrian cultural authorities "they collaborate without any reserve" so that the sample can be celebrated with the works agreed previously. The picture of '' The hare'', that not the museum had left The Albertina since its acquisition in 1796, last February 18 arrived al Prado, along with other 56 works, in the first one of the shipments predicted for it cited exposition. That of "Herbs" formed part of a second shipment that this same week to Madrid had to arrive. The art gallery that directs Miguel Zugaza recalls that last November 10 signed a contract by the one that The Albertina was obliged to lend al Field 87 original works of Durero, destined to the exposition ''Durero. Masterpieces of The Albertina'', that the next one is inaugurated 8 of March. "The closing flourish of that contract, that obliges the parts since the moment of its firm, was the culmination of two years of conversations and negotiations among both Museums", is indicated in the communiqu?. As it is habitual in this type in agreement, they were established "you need and strict measures and conditions" that the Prado should comply in relation to the transportation, security and exposition of said works. The Spanish Museum clarifies that "the obtaining of administrative permission of Austrian Right corresponds, to be those necessary permission, al museum prestador of the works", that is to say, to the Albertina of Vienna. The Prado "is alien" to you said procedures. After knowing yesterday, through the Albertina, the decision of the Department of Education and Culture of Austria of impeding the exit of the picture '' Herbs'' and of limiting to four months the continuance in Madrid of "The hare", against it established in the contract of loan, the Prado does emphasis in which "has completed scrupulously" the commitments contracted with the Viennese museum. "The high quality and conditions of the rooms that will harbor the works has been recognized for the Commission of Austrian Patrimony in its visit to Madrid last February 26", is added in the communiqu?. Likewise, the Spanish art gallery maintains the program predicted to open al public the exposition March 8, "attending thus to the legitimate expectations that have been created in the Spanish public". Finally, the responsible for the Field they trust in which the Albertina "honor their contractual commitments in the terms of the contract of loan and that the Austrian cultural authorities collaborate without any reserve to such end". From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Wed Mar 2 14:25:44 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Bruggeman Solutions) Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 14:25:44 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Espa=F1a/Spain=3A_Robo_de_obras_de_a?= =?iso-8859-1?q?rte_en_una_iglesia_burgalesa/_Theft_of_works_of_art_from_a?= =?iso-8859-1?q?_church_at_Burgos?= Message-ID: <4225BED8.3090404@bruggemansolutions.com> ++ English translation at the end of this message ++ Una banda especializada en obras de arte roba en una iglesia burgalesa Una banda organizada especializada en obras de arte sacro es la supuesta autora del robo cometido en la iglesia parroquial de la localidad de Castrillo Matajud?os (Burgos) de donde se sustrajeron varias piezas del siglo XVI. As? lo ha asegurado el delegado diocesano de patrimonio cultural, Juan ?lvarez Quevedo, que ha precisado que los ladrones se apoderaron de dos relieves del retablo de Santa Laura. Uno de los relieves representa el martirio de la santa, mientras que el segundo reproduce la predicaci?n de San Juan Bautista. Los ladrones tambi?n se llevaron dos columnas que enmarcaban la imagen de Santa Laura. ?lvarez ha se?alado que todas ellas son piezas de finales del siglo XVI y ha expresado su extra?eza por la elecci?n de estos objetos cuando en el templo hab?a tambi?n otras piezas e im?genes tan valiosas o m?s que las sustra?das. Responsables de otros robos: El representante eclesi?stico ha indicado que los investigadores policiales sospechan de una banda organizada que al parecer es la autora de al menos otros ocho robos cometidos ?ltimamente en templos y ermitas de las provincias de Le?n y Valladolid. Asimismo, ?lvarez ha subrayado que se desconoce con exactitud cu?ndo se produjo este robo, que se descubri? poco antes de la celebraci?n de la misa del pasado domingo. http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=6&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=190919&idseccio_PK=132&h=050301 +++ English translation by www.freetranslation.com): A band specialized in works of art steals in a church at Burgos A band organized specialized in works of art sacro is the supposed author of the committed robbery in the parochial church of the locality of Castrillo Matajud?os (Burgos) of where were subtracted several pieces of the century XVI. The diocesan delegate of cultural patrimony has assured it, Juan ?lvarez Quevedo, that the thieves seized two reliefs of the altarpiece of Holy Laura. One of the reliefs represents the martyrdom of the saint, while the second reproduces the predicaci?n of San Juan Baptist. The thieves also were carried two columns that framed the image of Holy Laura. ?lvarez has indicated that all they are pieces of ends of the century XVI and has expressed its strangeness by the election of these objects when in the temple there were also other pieces and so valuable images or more than them subtracted. Responsible for other robberies: The ecclesiastical representative has indicated that the police investigators suspect of a band organized that al to seem is the author of al except other eight committed robberies ultimately in temples and hermitages of the provinces of Lion and Valladolid. Likewise, ?lvarez has underlined that does not know itself with accuracy when was produced this robbery, that was discovered a short time before of the celebration of the mass of the past Sunday. From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Thu Mar 3 01:03:00 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Bruggeman Solutions) Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 01:03:00 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?M=E9xico=3A_Mayor_castigo_a_robo_de_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?arte_sacro_en_M=E9xico/_Greater_punishment_to_robbery_of_s?= =?iso-8859-1?q?acred_art_in_Mexico?= Message-ID: <42265434.7060401@bruggemansolutions.com> ++ English translation at the end of message ++ Piden mayor castigo a robo de arte sacro en M?xico Presenta el diputado Jos? Alarc?n Hern?ndez una iniciativa de ley para que esos delitos sean sancionados con siete y diez a?os de c?rcel Ante el incremento del robo y el tr?fico de arte sacro, el diputado Jos? Alarc?n Hern?ndez present? una iniciativa de ley para que esos delitos sean sancionados por el C?digo Federal de Procedimientos Penales con condenas de entre siete y diez a?os de c?rcel. El legislador del Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) por Puebla, una de las entidades con mayor riqueza cultural religiosa y una de las m?s saqueadas, propuso reformas y adiciones a los Art?culos 381, 377 y 376 Bis de ese c?digo. Indic? que el n?mero de trasgresiones de ese tipo ha aumentado en diversos estados durante los ?ltimos a?os, pues se trata de objetos de alto valor cultural o religioso en el que mafias con contactos internacionales han encontrado un negocio redituable. Alarc?n Hern?ndez explic? que en diversos pa?ses existen legislaciones espec?ficas sobre los cr?menes que se cometen con arte sacro y se?al? que es urgente que M?xico adecue su C?digo Penal, pues requiere una revisi?n integral. Mientras ello ocurre, es necesario que se tipifique claramente el robo de arte y objetos religiosos, pues los centros m?sticos y los templos no pueden ser custodiados por la fuerza p?blica de manera permanente. El priista indic? que su propuesta pretende modificar el Art?culo 381 de esa ley, que habla del robo de objetos como santos ?leos, im?genes en bulto o en pintura, vasos sagrados o cualquier objeto de contenido religioso profano o hist?rico. Jos? Alarc?n asegur? que tambi?n debe sancionarse con periodos de siete a diez a?os en prisi?n a quienes cometan delitos fuera o dentro de santuarios o centros de culto religioso, independientemente de si se comete el hurto durante la celebraci?n de una ceremonia. En ese sentido, asegur? que debe considerarse infracci?n grave cuando el ladr?n de arte sacro cometa el delito enmascarado o encapuchado, armado y con modificaciones f?sicas que dificulten su plena identificaci?n, pues es cuando se trata de mafias y crimen organizado. Reconoci? que actualmente el C?digo Penal contempla el hurto y el tr?fico de arte sacro, pero no lo sanciona con c?rcel a menos que se trate de robo con violencia, y por ello es necesario tipificarlo. Otra de las modificaciones que propone el diputado poblano se refiere a que cuando el crimen sea cometido por un servidor p?blico, se le inhabilite definitivamente para ocupar cargo alguno en las corporaciones policiacas; hasta hoy, si bien la pena se incrementa en 50 por ciento, s?lo inhabilita por el mismo tiempo que dure la pena. Tambi?n propone aumentar la penalidad cuando los robos afecten monumentos funerarios o cad?veres, as? como sus pertenencias; cuando se utilice para la comisi?n de estos delitos a inimputables; cuando se cometa de noche, y cuando el delincuente est? bajo los efectos de drogas, insumos qu?micos o f?rmacos. Martes 22 de febrero de 2005 http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/version_imprimir?id_nota=269651&tabla=notas_H +++ Translation by www.freetranslation.com: They ask greater punishment to robbery of art sacro in Mexico It presents the representative Jos? Alarc?n Hern?ndez an initiative of law so that those crimes are sanctioned with seven and ten years of jail Before the increment of the robbery and the traffic of art sacro, the representative Jos? Alarc?n Hern?ndez presented an initiative of law so that those crimes are sanctioned for the Federal Code of Penal Procedures with prison sentences from among seven and ten years of jail. The legislator of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) by Populates, one of the companies with greater religious cultural wealth and one of the most plundered, proposed reforms and additions to the Articles 381, 377 and 376 Twice of that code. It indicated that the number of trasgresiones of that type has enlarged in diverse states during the last years, therefore is a matter of objects of high cultural or religious value in which mafias with international contacts have found a business redituable. Alarc?n Hern?ndez explained that in diverse countries specific legislations on the crimes exist that are committed with art sacro and indicated that is urgent that Mexico adapt its Penal Code, therefore requires an integral revision. While it occurs, is necessary that themselves tipifique clearly the robbery of art and religious objects, therefore the mystical centers and the temples cannot be guarded for the public force in a permanent way. The priista indicated that their proposal intends to modify the Article 381 of that law, that speaks of the robbery of objects as the saints oils, images in lump or in painting, sacred glasses or any religious profane or historic object of content. Jos? Alarc?n assured that should also be sanctioned with periods from seven to ten years in prison to whom commit crimes was or inside sanctuaries or centers of religious worship, independently of if you be eaten you the theft during the celebration of a ceremony. In that sense, assured that should be considered serious infraction when the thief of art sacro comet the crime disguised or hooded, armed and with physical modifications that complicate its full identification, therefore is when is a matter of mafias and crime organized. It recognized that at present the Penal Code contemplates the theft and the traffic of art sacro, but it does not sanction with jail unless be a matter of robbery with violence, and because of it is necessary tipificarlo. Another of the modifications that proposes the representative poblano refers to that when the crime be committed by a public servant, him be disqualified finally to occupy any charge in the crime corporations; until today, though the grief is increased in 50 percent, only disqualifies for the same time that the grief last. Also it proposes to enlarge the punishment when the robberies affect monuments funerarios or corpses, as well as his belongings; when be utilized for the commission of these crimes to inimputables; when himself comet at night, and when the delinquent be under the effects of drugs, chemical supplies or medicines. From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Mar 3 04:28:09 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 04:28:09 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?City_offers_=A310=2C000_to_Nazi_loot?= =?iso-8859-1?q?_holocaust_families_?= Message-ID: <20050303032813.YME1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> City offers ?10,000 to Nazi loot holocaust families PHIL MILLER March 03 2005 AN offer of ?10,000 is to be made to the Jewish families seeking the return of a painting ? forced from their ownership under the Nazi regime ? which is held in a Glasgow museum. Glasgow City Council is to offer the payment in acknowledgement of the claims for Le Pat? de Jambon, which became part of the Burrell Collection after being bought in a "forced sale" in Berlin in 1936 to meet a bogus Nazi tax demand. The work, attributed to Chardin and worth about ?7500, has been the subject of the claim for the past three years. The cultural and leisure services committee's decision to make the offer yesterday, comes four months after the government's department of culture, media and sport said the painting should be returned to the families. This decision was backed by Estelle Morris, culture minister, who said it was the "most appropriate way to proceed". However, returning the painting would break the strict rules that apply to the Burrell Collection, gifted to the city by Sir William Burrell, the shipping magnate, in 1944. These restrictions do not allow any part of the collection to be lent, sold or disposed of, and left the council in a quandary over how to proceed. The local authority has opened discussions with lawyers of the two families involved, and informally the families do not "insist upon the painting's return", a council report said yesterday. The document adds: "They are, however, seeking a 'just and equitable solution' to their claim. The lawyers have said, on a without prejudice basis, that their clients would, in principle, be prepared to consider accepting the sum." A council statement said: "The payment is being offered on an ex-gratia basis in recognition of the moral case that has been presented and the expenses incurred by the families in pursuing the claim." In April 2003, the local authority accepted the families had established "at least a moral case for reparation". However, legal advice taken by the council said it was not under any legal obligation to return the painting. John Lynch, chairman of the repatriation working group, said: "This solution not only maintains the integrity of the Burrell Collection but also shows that we have accepted the families' moral case." http://www.theherald.co.uk/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Mar 3 04:42:55 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 04:42:55 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?UK=3A_Arrests_over_=A330m_antiques_t?= =?iso-8859-1?q?heft_?= Message-ID: <20050303034258.QPDC21348.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Arrests over ?30m antiques theft Two men and a woman have been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of millions of pounds worth of art and antiques. Much of the property was stolen from country houses and galleries across the UK during night time burglaries, often leaving homeowners traumatised. Police recovered ?500,000 in goods from London, Essex and Kent on Wednesday. Two men, aged 46 and 73, and a woman, aged 50, are being questioned on suspicion of money laundering offences. For two years police have been trying to trace a south London gang believed to have stolen ?30m worth of property. Now Scotland Yard's art and antiques unit believe an organised criminal network was operating from Flogg It auction house, Catford, south-east London. Among the recovered property were valuable miniature paintings stolen from Madresfield Court, in Worcestershire, where thieves rowed across a moat during a night-time raid. There was also silverware valued at ?1m taken in a raid on a dealers in Petworth, Surrey, and a ?50,000 Thomas Sidney Cooper painting snatched from a house in Windsor, Berkshire. Det Ch Insp David Thompson said: "The operation identified a professional criminal network which was responsible for the wholesale theft and sale of valuable items from country houses." The goods will be displayed during a series of roadshows over the next two months in order to return them to their rightful owners. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Mar 3 04:42:55 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 04:42:55 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] UK: Organised art theft ring smashed Message-ID: <20050303034302.QPDX21348.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Organised art theft ring smashed Wed Mar 2, 2005 8:14 PM GMT LONDON (Reuters) - British police say they have smashed a multi-million pound organised art theft ring that has been plundering stately homes and galleries around the country. They said two men and a woman had been arrested and half a million pounds worth of stolen art recovered from the Flogg It auction house in east London and several other premises. But art worth some 30 million pounds taken in thefts over the past two years was still missing. "We hope that today's action, by dismantling the principal outlet in southeast England for the laundering of high value stolen goods, will prevent future losses," police spokesman detective chief inspector David Thompson said. He said the recovered items whose owners had been identified included paintings, silverware, plates and decorative objects. Asked if the missing and recovered items had been stolen to order or whether they were simply opportunistic thefts, he replied that it was probably a mixture of the two. "It is quite likely that some items were stolen on commission and that these lesser ones were simply taken in the process," Thompson said. "There is a lot that we have not recovered and there is a reasonable assumption that it may have gone abroad. But I am not in a position to confirm that," he added. Art theft to order is a world-wide problem involving ancient artefacts to modern masterpieces -- some of which is known to transit through Britain. Interpol has on its Web site 415 items stolen recently and only 181 recently discovered. Currently the major headache is in stolen artefacts from looting in Iran and Iraq -- some of which has already turned up in Britain. http://today.reuters.co.uk/ From pgersten at depaul.edu Thu Mar 3 16:06:54 2005 From: pgersten at depaul.edu (Patty Gerstenblith) Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 09:06:54 -0600 Subject: [CPProt.net] (no subject) Message-ID: The Lawyers' Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, a non-profit education organization, is pleased to invite you to the inaugural event of its Law and Cultural Heritage Speaker Series featuring Dr. Andr?s Riedlmayer of Harvard University. The presentation, entitled "Crimes against Culture: War and the Destruction of Heritage in the Balkans and Iraq," will be held at the Georgetown University Law Center, Room 437, McDonough Hall, Washington, D.C., on Wednesday March 16, 2005, at 4 pm. Andr?s J. Riedlmayer directs the Documentation Center of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard's Fine Arts Library. A specialist in the history and culture of the Balkans, he has spent the past decade documenting the systematic destruction of historic architecture, libraries, archives and other cultural heritage during the wars in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Iraq. He has testified about his findings as an expert witness in the trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic before the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague. For more information about the Lawyers' Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, please visit: www.culturalheritagelaw.org. This event is free and open to the public. Patty Gerstenblith Professor, DePaul University President, Lawyers' Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation From museum-security at museum-security.org Fri Mar 4 07:36:26 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 07:36:26 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] FURTI D'ARTE: A PIACENZA RECUPERATA OPERA DI GASPARE LANDITRAFUGATA NEL 1971 Message-ID: <20050304063628.WEAP1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> FURTI D'ARTE: A PIACENZA RECUPERATA OPERA DI GASPARE LANDI TRAFUGATA NEL 1971 Piacenza, 2 mar. (Adnkronos) - Il comando provinciale dei carabinieri di Piacenza ha riconsegnato questa mattina un dipinto su tavola di elevato valore artistico-storico attribuito al piu' famoso pittore piacentino, Gaspare Landi. Il 'Ritratto di Pietro Viganoni' era stato trafugato il 30 novembre del 1971 dal museo annesso alla Chiesa della Collegiata di Castell'Arquato. Nella circostanza i ladri avevano rubato anche tre piccole croci terminali di una croce del 1300. (Cmg/Gs/Adnkronos) http://www.adnkronos.com/ Google translation: ART THEFTS: To RECOVERED PIACENZA WORK DI CASPAR LANDI TRAFUGATA In 1971 Piacenza, 2 mar. (Adnkronos) - the provincial commando of the police officers of Piacenza has given back this morning a painting on table of elevated artistic-historical value attributed to piu' the famous painter piacentino, Caspar Landi. ' Ritratto of Peter Viganoni' had been trafugato 30 November of the 1971 from the annexed museum to the Church of the Collegiata di Castell' Arquato. In the circumstance the ladri they had stolen also three small crosses finishes them of one cross of 1300. From museum-security at museum-security.org Fri Mar 4 07:36:26 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 07:36:26 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Thailand: Panel to test crown in US Message-ID: <20050304063632.WEBY1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Panel to test crown in US TUL PINKAEW ACHARA & ASHAYAGACHAT A government team of experts will go to the United States to examine an antique crown now owned by the Philadelphia Art Museum, with an eye to having it returned to Thailand. The Thai crown, believed to have belonged to King Borom Rajathiraj II and thought to have been made in 1424, is on display at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, along with 89 other surviving works from the Ayutthaya period. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra learned about the crown after seeing a television documentary about its theft, and asked his ministers to investigate. Culture Minister Anurak Jureemat said yesterday the committee would be chaired by the permanent secretaries of the ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs and would comprise experts from state and private organisations. It would collect information on exhibits, antiques and historical artifacts from museums and universities here before travelling to the United States to test the headpiece to determine whether it is real. The pure gold, 5kg, 19cm-tall crown reportedly disappeared in 1956 when the ruins at Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Mahathat temples in Ayutthaya were robbed by antiques thieves. Several pieces were sold before the thieves were arrested, while the remaining items are now on display at the Chao Sam Phraya Museum in Ayutthaya province. Arak Sunghitakul, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, said there were two possible ways of negotiating for the return of the crown. ''We could try to buy it back, or seek its return through negotiations. But at this moment, the most important thing is to determine whether the prized headpiece is real or not,'' he said. The crown was on loan to the San Francisco-based Asian Art Museum from Philadelphia's Museum of Art, which obtained the item at a Sotheby's auction in 1982, said Mr Arak. Somlak Charoenpot, chief of the Office of the National Museum, said the crown might be a replica or might have belonged to a different country, as some of the characteristics were ''peculiar''. The gold looked too bright for the Ayutthaya period, which used a darker gold, and the crown was made using a different technique from the two on display at the Chao Sam Phraya Museum. http://www.bangkokpost.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Fri Mar 4 07:36:26 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 07:36:26 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Police Recover Stolen Ray Charles Tapes in L.A. Message-ID: <20050304063634.WECQ1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Police Recover Stolen Ray Charles Tapes in L.A. Thu Mar 3, 8:18 PM ET By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Police said on Thursday they had recovered boxes of original recordings of soul music legend Ray Charles from the home of an audio engineer accused of taking advantage of the singer's blindness to steal the tapes in the final months of his life. Terry Howard, 48, who shared in three Grammy Awards last month for his work on Charles' final album, "Genius Loves Company," was arrested Feb. 17 during a search of his home. He was formally charged on Tuesday with grand theft by embezzlement and receiving stolen property, authorities said. As noted in the recent film biography "Ray," Charles, who died on June 10, 2004, at age 73, was one of the few recording stars who owned the original master tapes of his own music. Howard has since pleaded innocent, and he was released from jail on Thursday after his bail was reduced to $100,000 from $1 million, according to his lawyer, Steve Cron. Cron described Howard as "a loyal friend and associate of Ray Charles" who was completely trusted by the singer and "did nothing to betray that trust," adding all the tapes seized from his apartment had been in his possession legitimately. "He did not have original master recordings. He had copies, and he had every right to have them," Cron told Reuters. "Sound engineers routinely take home material and work in their home studios, and that's what Terry did." Cron suggested Howard was the victim of false accusations by individuals from the singer's estate, Ray Charles Enterprises, who were jealous of Howard's relationship with Charles, "which was long-standing and very close." Police said a collection of Charles' master tapes were reported stolen from the singer's famed RPM studio in Los Angles, and detectives searched Howard's home in suburban Burbank on the basis of a tip Ray Charles Enterprises received from an associate of the engineer. Inside, they found shelves filled with boxes containing old reel-to-reel tapes, some labeled as the property of Ray Charles Entertainment or RPM International, said police Lt. Donald Hooper. Many of the cartons appeared to have been water-damaged, moldy or caked with dirt, he added. Among the items reported stolen, Hooper said, was a master recording of Charles' classic hit single "Georgia On My Mind." "That was one of the things we went there to find, but I don't know if we found it," he told Reuters, explaining that many of the tapes were unmarked. Police believe Howard took some material unbeknownst to Charles on occasions when the two worked together alone at RPM, Hooper said. Court documents say the thefts occurred between Feb. 18, 2004 and Feb. 17, 2005. http://news.yahoo.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Fri Mar 4 07:39:09 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 07:39:09 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Recovery of two paintings stolen from church in Palermo Message-ID: <20050304063912.JVEO4045.amsfep18-int.chello.nl@cremers> Riconsegna di due tele trafugate in una Parrocchia di Piazza Armerina Due dipinti ad olio rubati nel 1997 nella Chiesa di S. Pietro a Piazza Armerina, recuperati dai carabinieri del Nucleo Tutela patrimonio artistico di Palermo, sono stati riconsegnati stamani nel corso di un convegno-mostra svoltosi presso il Museo diocesano di Piazza Armerina dal titolo ?Recupero di valori e valori recuperati?. ?L?Annunciazione? e il ?Santo Benedicente? sono due di numerosissime e pregevoli opere d?arte sottratte o danneggiate negli ultimi decenni nella Chiesa di S. Pietro e in molte altre del ricchissimo patrimonio artistico che Piazza Armerina pu? vantare. Erano presenti l?Assessore Regionale Beni Culturali Alessandro Pagano e l?On. Vittorio Sgarbi che ha concluso i lavori. Sono intervenuti l?Arch. Salvatore Scuto, Soprintendente Beni Culturali di Enna, Mons. Michele Pennisi, Vescovo di Piazza Armerina, il Dr. Salvatore Cardinale, Procuratore della Repubblica di Enna, e il Dr. Maurizio Prestifilippo, Sindaco di Piazza Armerina. Il cap. Giuseppe Marseglia, Comandante del Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Artistico di Palermo ha illustrato il lavoro difficile che il Nucleo da lui diretto porta avanti ogni giorno per recuperare le tante opere trafugate in Sicilia. Il Dr. Claudio Paterna, Dirigente del Servizio Beni Storici della Soprintendenza, e don Giuseppe Paci, direttore dell?Ufficio Arte Sacra della diocesi, hanno presentato le iniziative messe in campo e le sinergie comuni per l?inventariazione e la catalogazione che entrambi gli Enti stanno realizzando. Infine alcuni esperti sia della Curia di Piazza Armerina che della Soprintendenza di Enna hanno presentato gli aspetti storico ? artistici delle opere ritrovate mentre gli aspetti tecnici del restauro delle stesse opere sono stati evidenziati da Luciano Bombeccari e Giovanni Calvagna, entrambi restauratori. Nel suo intervento il Vescovo Mons. Pennisi ha espresso a nome della diocesi un profondo ringraziamento e il compiacimento per l?esito della vicenda nei confronti del Nucleo Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale della Sicilia, che si sono distinti per una serie di operazioni volte al recupero di beni culturali tra cui molti di interesse religioso e di propriet? ecclesiastica oggetto di furti. Il vescovo ha poi sottolineato come ?i beni culturali ecclesiali e di interesse religioso hanno un valore teologico, antropologico, storico e culturale, di cui ogni comunit? deve prendere coscienza. Gli oggetti sacri o connessi con il culto come i beni culturali di interesse religioso, come espressione dell'identit? culturale di una comunit?, devono essere tutelati nella loro specifica originalit? e nel loro valore oggettivo anche al di l? della appartenenza soggettiva che pu? essere di persone o di enti non ecclesiastici?. La Pontificia Commissione per i Beni Culturali della Chiesa ha fatto giungere al Vescovo, tramite Mons. Mauro Piacenza che ne ? il Presidente, una lettera nella quale si esprimono sentimenti di gaudio per l?evento sottolineando come ?la pubblica riconsegna ? una occasione privilegiata per riflettere a livello di opinione pubblica e di coscienza cattolica, sull?urgenza di conservare il patrimonio artistico con la partecipazione dell?intera comunit? cristiana e sulla significativit? del cristianesimo nell?ispirare innumerevoli opere d?arte?. L?assessore Pagano: ?Un successo la restituzione delle opere alla citt?? ?In Italia, in 35 anni, sono stati rubati quasi un milione d?oggetti d?arte, la maggior parte dei quali trafugati da chiese e luoghi di culto ? ha detto l?assessore regionale ai Beni Culturali, Alessandro Pagano -. In questo senso l?operato dei Carabinieri che si occupano della tutela del Patrimonio culturale in Sicilia ? diventato fondamentale. Il recupero e la restituzione alla citt? di queste due importanti tele ? l?ennesimo successo di una vasta ed attenta azione di prevenzione e di tutela del patrimonio ecclesiastico delle diocesi siciliane che, da decenni, vedono depredate le loro ricchezze storico e artistiche. Con i Carabinieri esiste la massima collaborazione perch? abbiamo entrambi il duplice scopo di proteggere e salvaguardare le perle naturali della nostra Isola e di reperire opere d?arte di notevole interesse storico che rappresentano la nostra storia e sono il nostro fiore all?occhiello. I segnali confortanti che ci giungono dai Carabinieri non devono per? limitare l?attenzione al fenomeno e per questo vogliamo lanciare un appello alle diocesi affinch? si dotino di un sistema d?allarme collegato alle forze dell?ordine e intervengano spostando le opere d?arte dalla loro sede, nel caso di lavori di restauri o di ristrutturazione, per trasferirle in un altro luogo, magari utilizzando anche le sedi dei Comandi locali dei Carabinieri?. Alla cerimonia di oggi che ha celebrato il ritorno delle due opere a Piazza Armerina, l?assessorato regionale ai Beni Culturali era rappresentato dal Capo di Gabinetto, Antonino Lumia. http://www.vivienna.it/ Gtoogle translation: It gives back of two burlaps trafugate in one Parish of Armerina Public square Two paintings to oil steal in 1997 in the Church of S. Peter to Armerina Public square, recover from the police officers of the Nucleus Protection to you artistic patrimony of Palermo, they have been gives back stamani in the svoltosi course of an convention-extension near the diocesano Museum of Armerina Public square from the title it to you "Recovery of values and values recover to you". "the Annunciation" and the "Benedicente Saint" are two of most numerous and pregevoli works of art embezzled or damaged in the last few decades in the Church of S. Peter and many others of the richest artistic patrimony that Armerina Public square can boast. Cultural Assets were present the Regional City council member Alexander Pay and the On. Vittorio Sgarbi that has concluded the jobs. They are taken part the Arch. Salvatore Scuto, Supervising Cultural Assets of Enna, Mons. Michele Pennisi, Bishop of Armerina Public square, the Dr. Salvatore Cardinal, District attorney of Enna, and the Dr. Maurizio Prestifilippo, Mayor of Armerina Public square. The CAP. Giuseppe Marseglia, Commander of the Nucleus Protection Artistic Patrimony of Palermo has illustrated the difficult job that the Nucleus from he directed door ahead every day in order to recover the many works trafugate in Sicily. The Dr. Paternal, Managing Claudius of the Service Historical Assets of the Soprintendenza, and don Giuseppe Peace, director of the Office Sacred Art of the diocese, has introduced the initiatives put in field and the common synergies for the inventariazione and the catalogazione that both the Agencies are realizing. Finally some experts are of the Curia of Armerina Public square that of the Soprintendenza of Enna the aspects have introduced historical - artistic of the works found again while the technical aspects of the restoration of the same works have been evidence from Luciano Bombeccari and Giovanni to you Calvagna, both restorers. In its participation Mons Bishop. Pennisi has expressed to name of the diocese a deep thanks and the satisfaction for the outcome of the vicissitude in the comparisons of the Nucleus Police officers Protection Cultural Patrimony of the Sicily, than series of operations have been distinguished for one times to the recovery of cultural assets between which many of religious interest and ecclesiastical property object of thefts. The bishop has then emphasized as "the ecclesiali cultural assets and of religious interest have a theological value, anthropological, historical and cultural, of which every community he must take conscience. The sacred or connected objects with the cult like the cultural assets of religious interest, like expression of the cultural identity of a community, must be protected in their specific originality and their objective value also al.di.l?.della subjective belongings that can be of persons or agencies not ecclesiastics ". The Papal Commission for the Cultural Assets of the Church has made to reach the Bishop, through Mons. Mauro Piacenza that of is the President, a letter in which feelings of joy for the event are expressed emphasizing as "the public one gives back is one privileged occasion in order to reflect to level of public opinion and catholic conscience, on the urgency to conserve the artistic patrimony with the participation of the entire Christian community and on the significance of the Christianity in inspiring innumerevoli works of art". The city council member Pays: "happened a restitution of the works to the city" "In Italy, 35 years, they have been steals nearly a million to you of art objects, the greater part of the which trafugati ones from churches and cult places - the regional city council member to the Cultural Assets has said, Alexander Pays -. In so far as the acts of the Police officers that are taken care of the protection of the cultural Patrimony in Sicily have become fundamental. The recovery and the restitution to the city of these two important burlaps are the nth one happening of an immense and careful action of prevention and protection of the ecclesiastical patrimony of the sicialian dioceses that, from decades, they see depredated their artistic riches historical and. With the Police officers the maximum collaboration exists because we have both the twofold scope protect and to safeguard natural pearls of our Island and reperire works of art of remarkable historical interest that represent our history and are our flower to the eyelet. It marks them comforting that they reach us from the Police officers do not have but to limit the attention to the phenomenon and for this we want launch an appeal to the dioceses so that they are equipped of a connected alarm system to the police enforcements and take part moving the works of art from their center, in the case of jobs of restorations or restructure, in order to transfer them in an other place, even using also the centers of the local Commandos of the Police officers ". To the ceremony today that it has celebrated the return of the two works to Armerina Public square, the regional councillorship to the Cultural Assets was represented from the Head of Cabinet, Antonino Lumia. From museum-security at museum-security.org Fri Mar 4 08:03:25 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 08:03:25 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] U.K. Court Upholds Damages Award to Borders in Book-Theft Ring Message-ID: <20050304070328.XQPN14848.amsfep17-int.chello.nl@cremers> U.K. Court Upholds Damages Award to Borders in Book-Theft Ring March 3 (Bloomberg) -- A British appeals court upheld a 380,000-pound ($726,000) damages award to Borders Group Inc.'s U.K. unit and seven other retailers in their civil lawsuit against a London book shoplifting ring. The retailers last year sued ``street trader'' Ronald Jordan for selling at his market stalls in the city ``possibly hundreds of thousands of new books'' stolen by shoplifters, according to court documents. Jordan, who made more than 600,000 pounds from the stalls between November 2001 and July 2003, was in January 2004 sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to steal books and handling stolen goods. The U.K. Court of Appeal today dismissed Jordan's challenge to the size of the damages award, ruling that it was defensible given his own ``outrageous'' conduct. The retailers estimated at Jordan's criminal trial last year that sales at his stalls had cost them around 2.4 million pounds. The case is A2/2004/1550 Borders (UK) Ltd. & ors v. Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis & anr. To contact the reporter on this story: Megan Murphy in London at mmurphy41 at bloomberg.net. To contact the editor responsible for this story: Eamonn Sullivan at esullivan at bloomberg.net From c.ruiz at theartnewspaper.com Fri Mar 4 08:20:09 2005 From: c.ruiz at theartnewspaper.com (Cristina Ruiz) Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2005 07:20:09 +0000 Subject: [CPProt.net] Re: CPProt Digest, Vol 4, Issue 60 In-Reply-To: <20050304070511.7EB5E94051@duvel> Message-ID: I am out of the office until Friday 4 March. For editorial enquiries please contact Emma Beatty e.beatty at theartnewspaper.com or Gareth Harris g.harris at theartnewspaper.com For listings please contact Helen Stoilas h.stoilas at theartnewspaper.com Thank you Cristina Ruiz Editor From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Mar 5 09:51:22 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2005 09:51:22 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Sunken schooners at risk in fight over 1812 relics Message-ID: <20050305085126.OYSC12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> Sunken schooners at risk in fight over 1812 relics Saturday, March 5, 2005 Updated at 1:39 AM EST >From Saturday's Globe and Mail Two well-preserved U.S. warships lying at the bottom of Lake Ontario are at the mercy of looters, ravaging mussels and natural degeneration as the federal government, the City of Hamilton and private organizations wrangle over what to do with them. The wooden War of 1812-era hulks, lying 500 metres apart and nearly 90 metres below the surface in near-freezing waters, contain the skulls and bones of dozens of American sailors. U.S. officials now rue the U.S. Navy's decision to give up control of the vessels a quarter-century ago. Debate is raging over whether they should be better protected, or raised and put on display, beyond the reach of scuba-diving treasure hunters. "The opportunity to study them is slipping away," said Elaine Wyatt, president of the private group Save Ontario Shipwrecks. "They are at risk of being plundered by treasure-seekers, and [from] their natural environment." Questions are also being raised about the motives and capabilities of Hamilton's municipal government. It has not fulfilled a 25-year-old promise to carry out research on the wrecked ships. But it is considering a "business/tourism" scheme to relocate them to shallow water as a destination for sport divers and glass-bottom tour boats. The vessels' fate is considered so touchy that Robert Grenier, chief of underwater archeology at Parks Canada and the senior Ottawa official dealing with the issue, has been barred by his superiors from speaking publicly about it. "This file is ... very politically sensitive," said Mr. Grenier, who is also president of UNESCO's international scientific committee on underwater cultural heritage. Fifty-three Americans died in the summer of 1813 when a sudden storm overwhelmed the USS Scourge and USS Hamilton as they lay becalmed about 10 kilometres offshore in Upper Canadian waters. The 60-foot Scourge, originally dubbed the Lord Nelson, was built in Upper Canada for a merchant named James Crooks. But it was confiscated for alleged smuggling by the U.S. Navy and refitted with cannons, making it dangerously top-heavy. It took part in an attack on York (now Toronto) in which part of the town was burned. The 75-foot Hamilton, originally the Diana, was a U.S.-built merchant schooner pressed into service as a war vessel. The ships lay on the lake bottom for well over a century before being located in 1973 by Dan Nelson, a St. Catharines dentist. Dr. Nelson is now fuming about their situation. He thinks they should be raised as soon as possible and stored in refrigerated aquariums. "Leaving them at the bottom is not an option," he said. "Eventually there will be nothing left." The upsurge of interest in the Scourge and Hamilton has been sparked by evidence that unauthorized divers have visited their underwater grave. Canada has designated the area as a national historic site and it is on a list of potential UNESCO world heritage sites in Canada. Photos showing divers at the prow of the USS Hamilton have been made available to The Globe and Mail. Ian Kerr-Wilson, the Hamilton city official in charge of the site, acknowledged that incursions by divers could take place within months. The municipality has installed a radar system to detect intruders. But Ms. Wyatt said it could be eluded by divers using sophisticated breathing apparatus who could then loot precious artifacts such as weapons, or disturb human remains. "They were given to Hamilton on the promise that full archeological studies would be carried out," she said. "That hasn't been done and it doesn't look like it's about to happen. "It's time to recognize that the USS Hamilton and the USS Scourge are not a municipal project." Dr. Nelson collaborated with the Royal Ontario Museum in his hunt for the vessels. Remarkably, the ROM was able to persuade the U.S. Navy to sign over formal title to the hulks in 1979. In return, the ROM agreed to do studies to determine if the wrecks could be raised and displayed, and to hand over any human remains recovered from them to the United States. A few months later the ROM decided to shed responsibility for the vessels. In stepped local Hamilton politicians who saw an opportunity to generate attention and possibly tourist revenue. The ROM turned over its title to Hamilton - along with responsibility for doing the studies. A few years later, underwater adventurer Jacques Cousteau used a submersible to photograph and film the wrecks. National Geographic magazine launched a remotely controlled expedition in the early 1980s, using a piloted vehicle to take pictures. The resulting publicity led John Lehman, U.S. navy secretary at the time, to offer to help raise the vessels in exchange for the return of the USS Hamilton and its artifacts to the United States. The City of Hamilton said thanks but no thanks. And today, with the vessels still submerged, Mr. Lehman says it's unfortunate the city didn't take him up on the offer. It is highly unlikely that Washington would agree to such a transfer today, said Robert Neyland, head of underwater archeology for the U.S. Navy. "We would hope there is no disturbance of the [human] remains," he said. Another former navy secretary, William Middendorf, lamented the vessels' current situation and wondered aloud whether the salvage offer could be put back on the table. The war's 200th anniversary is only a few years away, he noted. "What a marvellous bicentennial project. I can't think of anything more interesting." Mr. Kerr-Wilson, the municipal official who co-ordinates the city's Hamilton-Scourge Project and is also a museum curator, said he would be "very interested in looking at partners" for a deal on the ships' future. That may be because Hamilton does not have the money to go it alone. Six years ago, former federal heritage minister Sheila Copps said her department would provide $1.3-million if Hamilton matched that amount. The city has not come up with the money. Mr. Kerr-Wilson said he is well aware of the ships' importance. "It's hard to overstate their value," he said. "It's very rare [anywhere in the world] to have intact, undisturbed wooden boats. These are time machines sitting at the bottom of the lake." Raising the ships would not be cheap. "Any time you go down that road you're looking at a very long commitment and tens of millions of dollars to carry it through to a successful conclusion," said Mr. Neyland, the navy archeologist. He directed the raising in 2000 of the Confederate submarine H..L. Hunley, which sank in 1864 after being the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. Mr. Kerr-Wilson advocates a go-slow policy. "This is an incredibly delicate and important activity and we get one shot," he said. "If we mess this up there is no going back." But Dr. Nelson says the Scourge and Hamilton will never be studied adequately as long as they remain on the lake bottom. "They cannot be examined properly in 88 metres of water," he said. "It's too dangerous, too expensive and you won't get the right results." From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Mar 5 10:01:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2005 10:01:18 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Soviet's Hungarian art loot to get display Message-ID: <20050305090121.RBHZ14848.amsfep17-int.chello.nl@cremers> Soviet's Hungarian art loot to get display [World News]: GORKY, Russia, March 4 : The State Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum in Gorky, Russia, is planning to exhibit art looted from Hungary by Soviet troops in World War II. The art, including works by El Greco, Tintoretto, Francisco Goya, Camille Corot, and most of the leading French Impressionists, was apparently stolen from Jewish families in Hungary.It was taken to Northern Germany where it was seized by the Soviet 49th Army based in Gorky in 1945. Existence of the collection remained secret until 1990. Although Russia has an official policy of keeping art seized in Germany as compensation for its losses during the war, the exhibit is being mounted in September under the auspices of a joint Russian-American project called Heritage Revealed.Russia returned 15 paintings from the collection to Hungary in 1972 and two more in 1992. Thursday's announcement gave no hint about the future of the rest of the collection, but it was noted that Heritage Revealed is supported by cosmetics tycoon Ronald Lauder and liquor magnate Edgar Bronfman, who have played crucialsrole in restoring confiscated property to Jewish families. http://www.newkerala.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Mar 5 11:35:41 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2005 11:35:41 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Former president of Phillips Historical Society fined, must pay restitution; guilty in antiques theft Message-ID: <20050305103544.NXUK21348.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Man pleads guilty in antiques theft Former president of Phillips Historical Society fined, must pay restitution By BETTY JESPERSEN Staff Writer FARMINGTON -- The former president of the Phillips Historical Society pleaded guilty Friday to theft in Franklin County Superior Court for stealing valuable items from the group's Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad collection. Kenneth Teele, 63, who now lives in Gray, quietly told Justice Joseph Jabar he was guilty of the charges. Teele had been indicted for felony theft but in a negotiated plea, the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to a $2,000 fine and ordered to pay restitution. Franklin County Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said the case involved documents stolen from the Historical Society and subsequently auctioned off at Cyr Auction House in Gray last March. Teele's items listed in the company catalog, which included the association's railroad stock book valued at $10,000 and $12,000 of Teele's own item, brought in a total of $31,612. The proceeds of the sale were seized but were authorized to be released Friday. Andrews said $21,000 will be turned over to historical group as restitution and the rest will reimburse L.L. Bean heiress Linda Bean Folkers, who purchased the stock book. The stock book included the first stock certificate issued in 1879 for the narrow gauge railroad. Also sold from the society's collection were four postcards of early Phillips, one dated 1811, which sold for $750. Three members of the historical society attended the plea hearing Friday and outside the courtroom, said they were satisfied with the agreement. "I am glad it is all over This has been going on for more than a year and now it is time to move on," said Treasurer Jan Norton. "I'd like to use that money to fix up the exterior of the building. I can see new paint." The organization's board of directors had been concerned before the theft about a number of missing items and planned to create a permanent, electronic catalog of their large collection of railroad and town memorabilia. Before they could get to it, however, they were tipped off that some of their possessions were in the Cyr catalog in advance of a March 2004 railroad memorabilia auction. Attempts to get the sale stopped were unsuccessful because the group had no documentation. The historical group now has a heightened awareness of security, said board member Chris Hardy. One change is that no one is allowed to remove anything from the building. "That wouldn't have stopped Ken, though, since he had a key," Vice President Denny Atkinson said. Cataloging the collection of railroad and town memorabilia is now under way, he said. There had been an inventory but the list had disappeared, which made it difficult for the group to prove that all the items sold belonged to them. It was Teele's job as president to maintain the inventory books. Atkinson, at the time, said the items are part of the town's history. "This should be a wake-up call to all historical societies to keep an eye on their things," he said. Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991 bjespersen at centralmaine.com http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Mar 6 20:46:16 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:46:16 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?_Roban_tesoro_arqueol=F3gico_de_cult?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ura_ind=EDgena_colombiana_?= Message-ID: <20050306194620.UHZI1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Roban tesoro arqueol?gico de cultura ind?gena colombiana +++ Google translation below +++ 06.03.2005 Actualizado a las 15:00:38 BOGOTA, 5 mar (Xinhuanet) -- La autoridades colombianas reportaron hoy el robo de 375 piezas arqueol?gicas de la cultura ind?gena "Los Pastos", las cuales hac?an parte del tesoro municipal de Pupiales, al sur del departamento de Nari?o (suroccidente). El robo le podr?a provocar al municipio la p?rdida del t?tulo de Monumento Nacional y Reserva Arqueol?gica otorgado por el Gobierno de Colombia el 26 de agosto de 1972, tres a?os despu?s de su hallazgo. Seg?n las autoridades municipales, las piezas fueron sustraidas de una b?veda del edificio de la antigua Caja Agraria, hoy perteneciente al Banco Agrario. Entre las piezas plagiadas figuran pectorales y caracoles de oro, orejeras, cuentas, vasijas y otros art?culos perteneciente a la cultura Los Pastos, que tienen una antig?edad de m?s de 350 a?os. El alcalde de Pupiales, Norberto Antonio Revelo, se?al? que el robo fue descubierto esta semana, cuando la administraci?n municipal compr? el edificio donde estaba el tesoro para crear all? un gran museo arqueol?gico con las piezas. Revelo dijo que "Al comparar el acta de lo entregado con lo existente en la caja fuerte nos enteramos de que faltaban las 22 piezas de oro existentes y que solo quedaba parte de las de arcilla. Algunas estaban en muy mal estado por falta de conservaci?n". El funcionario agreg? que al detectar el faltante de piezas, decidi? no firmar el acta de recibo e inform? la situaci?n a la Direcci?n Nacional de Bienes de la Caja Agraria. Entre tanto, el Personero municipal, Homero Rocero, precis? que "el costo de las piezas es invaluable. La p?rdida es m?s hist?rica y arqueol?gica porque son las ra?ces de un pueblo" Rosero advirti? que sin tesoro, Pupiales perder?a su t?tulo de Monumento Nacional y Reserva Arqueol?gica de Colombia, que significar?a una doble p?rdida para el municipio. Las autoridades de la poblaci?n nari?ense adelantaron la recopilaci?n de pruebas y testimonios para adjuntarlos a la denuncia que se har? ante la Fiscal?a General de Colombia para que el organismo investigue el hecho. El tesoro de "Los Pastos" fue hallado en 1969 en una la zona rural de Miraflores, en jurisdicci?n de Pupiales. http://www.spanish.xinhuanet.com/ Google translation: They rob archaeological treasure of Updated Colombian indigenous culture 06,03,2005 to 15:00:38 BOGOTA, 5 sea (Xinhuanet) -- the Colombian authorities today reported the robbery of 375 archaeological pieces of the indigenous culture "the Grass", which was part of the municipal treasure of Pupiales, to the south of the department of Nari?o (suroccidente). The robbery him could cause to the municipality the loss of the National Monument title and Archaeological Reserve granted by the Government of Colombia the 26 of August of 1972, three years after its finding. According to the municipal authorities, the pieces were sustraidas of a vault of the building of the old Agrarian Box, today pertaining to the Agrarian Bank. Between the plagiarized pieces they appear pectoral and gold snails, orejeras, accounts, vasijas and other articles pertaining to the culture the Grass, that has an antiquity of more than 350 years. The mayor of Pupiales, Norberto Antonio Revelo, indicated that the robbery was discovered this week, when the municipal administration bought the building where it was the treasure to create a great archaeological museum with the pieces there. I reveal said that "When comparing the act of the given thing with the existing thing in the strong box we found out that they lacked the 22 existing gold pieces and that single it was left part of those of clay. Some were in very bad be in favor of lack of conservation ". The civil employee added that when detecting the faltante of pieces, decided not to sign the receipt act and informed the situation to the National Direction into Goods of the Agrarian Box. In the meantime, the municipal Personero, Homero Rocero, needed that "the cost of the pieces is invaluable. The loss is more historical and archaeological because they are the roots of a town "Rosero noticed that without treasure, Pupiales would lose its National Monument title and Archaeological Reserve of Colombia, that would mean one double loss for the municipality. The authorities of the nari?ense population advanced to the compilation of tests and testimonies to enclose them to the denunciation that will become before the General Office of the public prosecutor of Colombia so that the organism investigates the fact. The treasure of "the Grass" was found in 1969 in one the countryside of Miraflores, in jurisdiction of Pupiales. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Mar 6 20:51:17 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:51:17 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Russia reneges on deal to return German art loot Message-ID: <20050306195124.KBRL1891.amsfep20-int.chello.nl@cremers> Russia reneges on deal to return German art loot Mark Franchetti, Moscow WHEN the Russian government announced two years ago it would return a unique art collection smuggled out of Nazi Germany by a Soviet soldier, the decision was hailed as a sign of growing warmth between President Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Gerhard Schr?der. But the celebrations have turned out to be premature. Alexander Sokolov, the culture minister appointed by Putin less than a year ago, astounded the Germans last week by saying that the Baldin collection, which includes work by Van Gogh, Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya and D?rer, would remain in Moscow. The statement was made in defiance of a ruling by Russia?s constitutional court that the stolen art should be handed back. ?Sending the Baldin collection to Germany is out of the question,? Sokolov said. ?It?s highly controversial and my predecessor?s decision to return it was premature.? The 362 drawings and two paintings are valued at ?30m. The collection takes its name from Viktor Baldin, a Soviet army captain and art restorer who found the works in the damp cellars of Schloss Karnzow, a castle north of Berlin. They had been moved there from a cultural centre in Bremen to protect them from the advancing Red Army. Baldin, widely credited with saving the pictures, spent a frantic night in 1945 cutting them from their frames by candlelight and gathering other priceless drawings which fellow soldiers had hung in their tents. He smuggled the collection back to Russia in a suitcase and kept it hidden for three years. It was then given to a Moscow architecture museum, where he was director. ?I was surprised by what I saw,? he said later of the moment he found the treasures. ?All the masters of Europe from 14 countries. They had to be saved. But I also knew they had to be returned. This collection wasn?t mine; it belonged to the culture of humanity.? Yulia Silakova, Baldin?s widow, said her husband, who died in 1997, would have been outraged by the Russian U-turn. She recalled how for decades he had petitioned the Kremlin to have the artwork returned to Bremen. She was all the more disappointed because only last September Sokolov had signed an agreement to let it go back. ?All these political games are unseemly,? she said. ?The collection does not belong to us. Viktor saved it so that people could see it, not for it to be locked away in boxes.? http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Mar 6 20:51:17 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:51:17 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Stolen crown theory mars Thai exhibit; crown probably stolen from crypt at Buddhist temple of Wat Ratchaburana at Ayutthaya, once the capital of Siam Message-ID: <20050306195120.KBQC1891.amsfep20-int.chello.nl@cremers> Stolen crown theory mars Thai exhibit TV reporter in L.A. creates stir that reaches Bangkok - Jesse Hamlin, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, March 5, 2005 Since 1982, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has owned and displayed a 15th century gold Siamese crown that's intricately decorated with scrolls and vines and studded with rubies and pearls. That exquisite object, now on view at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum in the exhibition "The Kingdom of Siam: The Art of Central Thailand, 1350-1800,'' became a hot topic in the Thai press this week when a Thai TV reporter in Los Angeles filed a story saying the crown was probably stolen from a crypt at the famous Buddhist temple of Wat Ratchaburana at Ayutthaya, once the capital of Siam. It's not news that in 1957, thieves looted a previously unknown sacred chamber deep within that central Thai temple, or that the Thai government recovered much but not all of the booty, excavated the site and found many more valuable objects. But when Jom Patch of the Thai network ITV learned from interviewing curators here that the gold crown probably came from the sacred crypt and, in his words, "might be stolen,'' he thought he had himself a scoop. "I thought it was news,'' says Patch, who lives in Los Angeles and is somewhat fluent in English. His story was picked up by the Associated Press in Bangkok and reported in a number of daily papers. They include the English- language Bangkok Post, which reported on Thursday that Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra "learned about the crown after seeing a television documentary about its theft, and asked his ministers to investigate.'' So far, nobody from the Thai government has contacted the Asian Art Museum or the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which bought the crown at a Sotheby's auction in 1982, has had it on view ever since, and features it in publications and on its Web site. The whole affair baffles officials at the Asian Art Museum. They've spent a good part of the last five years working with Thai institutions and other museums to create this landmark exhibition, the first show of Thai art presented in the United States in 33 years and the first to focus on the art of the Kingdom of Siam. "I am kind of brokenhearted,'' says Forrest McGill, the museum's chief curator, a Thai art scholar who wrote his doctoral dissertation at the University of Michigan on the kingdom of Ayutthaya. "A group of American and Thai scholars has been working together on this for years, produced a major scholarly catalog and an exhibition of material that has hardly ever been seen before. And we can't get the focus on that because, for now at least, the focus seems to be on this one object.'' McGill and co-curator Pattaratorn Chirapravati, a Thai American woman who teaches at Cal State Sacramento, think the hammered gold crown, which dates from 1400 to 1450, "probably'' came from the sacred deposit chamber at Wat Ratchaburana (because Americans think crypts are tombs, he says, the term crypt was dropped). "But there's no proof,'' says McGill. When Thai officials started taking stock of the recovered and newly unearthed objects, he adds, no photographs were taken and "there was no systematic record of what was there.'' The show's catalog and wall text mention the probability that the crown came from the sacred chamber and talk about the looting of the chamber in 1957. One could surmise that "if it was originally in that chamber, and since we know that it's not part of what Thai officials recovered, what's left?'' McGill says. "It must've been secreted out at that time.'' All of this information, he says, "has been in the public realm for years. I don't see what the big deal is. I don't see why it's coming up now. None of us feels comfortable about stolen property. None of us feels comfortable about an archaeological site that's looted before it can be studied. However, the Philadelphia Museum bought the crown fair and square at public auction -- the Sotheby's catalog has a full-page color photograph of the object -- and they've had it on display ever since. Why have they waited 23 years to investigate?'' The director of Thailand's Office of National Museums and the director general of the Thai Fine Arts Department were part of the delegation that flew here from Bangkok last month for the opening of the "Kingdom of Siam.'' Neither questioned the provenance of the crown, which the Sotheby's catalog notes was acquired by a dealer named Klejman in 1965. "We take issue of provenance very seriously,'' Philadelphia Museum of Art director Anne d'Harnoncourt said in a written statement, "and would of course be ready to explore any questions about the history of the object with the appropriate Thai officials.'' Jom Patch says he doesn't know much about art. But he knows a good story when he sees it. E-mail Jesse Hamlin at jhamlin at sfchronicle.com. http://sfgate.com/ From cho at savingantiquities.org Mon Mar 7 05:26:12 2005 From: cho at savingantiquities.org (Cindy Ho) Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2005 23:26:12 -0500 Subject: [CPProt.net] SAFE launches Lectures Online Message-ID: SAFE (Saving Antiquities for Everyone) unveils "The Prosecutors Toolkit", the first in a series of online lectures at http://www.savingantiquities.org. Created by SAFE member Ricardo A. St. Hilaire, Grafton County (NH) Attorney, the audio-visual presentation discusses laws potentially available to federal and state prosecuting attorneys when confronting international cultural property crime cases. SAFE (Saving Antiquities for Everyone), the volunteer group dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage worldwide, is a nonprofit group of professionals in communications, media, and advertising working together with experts in the academic and museum community. By educating the public to these concerns, SAFE hopes to encourage everyone to protect our shared history. SAFE is sponsored by the Ne