[CPProt.net] Stolen artifact turns up at auction 30 years after theft

[Ellie Bruggeman]

    Stolen artifact turns up at auction 30 years after theft


A pewter flagon stolen from the Frederick County Historical Society 30 
years ago was recovered Monday morning from a Pennsylvania auction house.

No word yet on criminal charges, but Mark Hudson, director of the 
society, said police are conducting an active investigation.

Lt. Thomas Chase of the Frederick Police Department traveled to 
Pennsylvania this morning to retrieve the artifact and was unavailable 
for comment.

The flagon, a pouring vessel similar to a pitcher, dates back to 1762 
and was part of a two-piece communion set used at the Old Log Church in 
Creagerstown until 1834. The Creagerstown Reformed Church donated it to 
the Historical Society in 1942. The flagon was stolen in 1875. Hudson 
said he has no idea how much the item is worth.

Dr. Donald Herr, noted expert and pewter collector, alerted the society 
on Aug. 12 that the flagon had resurfaced when it came up for sale at 
auctioneers Pook & Pook of Downingtown, Pa., west of Philadelphia. Herr 
of Lancaster, Pennsylvania had researched the Creagerstown piece prior 
to its theft.

Hudson and the society’s curator, Heidi Campbell-Shoaf, examined the 
object on site, comparing it with the society’s records. ‘‘Within 
minutes we were able to match up numerous markings, imperfections and 
other distinguishing features,” Campbell-Shoaf said in a press release. 
‘‘We left confident that this was same piece that had been stolen from 
our collection in 1975.”

The flagon was one of several artifacts stolen in 1975, including dozens 
of glassware items, a flintlock rifle, silver and various other 
antiques. Police officers and volunteers of the Historical Society 
alerted the general public, antique dealers, auction houses and antiques 
magazines of the theft.

The Frederick Police Department pursued numerous leads in the case but 
did not make an arrest or recover any of the stolen items until today.

Hudson said it is not unusual to recover a stolen item 30 years later, 
but the way the puzzle fell into place was a bit surprising.

‘‘It really is a blessing,” he said. ‘‘A lot of serendipity was 
involved, being in the right place at the right time.”

Other missing items may turn up as a result of the recovery, said 
Hudson, but he does not anticipate ‘‘anything imminent.”

The Historical Society of Frederick County will celebrate the return of 
the Heyne flagon with a special program at the Society’s Annual Holiday 
Party on Dec. 4. ‘‘This will provide us an opportunity to publicly thank 
everyone whose efforts made this happen, while we celebrate this 
important Frederick County artifact returning home,” said Historical 
Society Presiden, Colleen Remsberg.

A full list and description of the stolen items can be obtained by 
contacting Hudson at 301-663-1188 or mhudson at hsfcinfo.org.

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