Thyssen museum says it is legal owner of alleged Nazi-looted masterpiece
Tue Feb 11, 2:47 PM ET
By MAR ROMAN, Associated Press Writer
MADRID, Spain - Spain's Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum insisted Tuesday that it was the rightful owner of an alleged Nazi-looted art masterpiece being claimed by a U.S citizen and said that any demand on the painting should be made in court. "The painting was bought legitimately by the Thyssen Museum," said Carlos Fernandez de Henestrosa, the museum's managing director in Madrid. "It was a legal and transparent operation." U.S. retired photographer Claude Cassirer, 81, claims he is the rightful owner of the 1897 "Rue de Saint Honore Apres Midi, Effet de Pluie (Saint-Honore street in the afternoon. Effect of rain)," painted by French artist Camille Pissarro. Cassirer claims the impressionist painting was misappropriated from his family in 1939 by the Nazis in Germany. Fernandez de Henestrosa said the museum has documents to prove that the late Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza bought the painting in 1975 from Joseph Hahn, a New York gallery. "The Pissarro painting has been hanging on a wall for 25 years, first in Lugano, Switzerland, and then in Madrid" he said. "There is no possibility of claiming it back." He said the museum's lawyers had received two letters in 2001 and 2002 from a North American legal firm in the name of Cassirer claiming the painting and warning of a press campaign. He said they found Cassirer's demand unfounded. "They have sent us letter but they haven't started legal procedures before a judge. That's what they should do," he said. Juan Picon of the U.S legal firm Squire, Sander & Dempsey in Madrid dismissed Thyssen's defense and said that the case falls under international treaties aiming at restoring looted artworks to their former owners. He said they were awaiting a definitive answer from Spain's Culture Ministry. "Although the Spanish government is the latest owner of the painting, stolen properties must be given back," Picon said. "We hope we can reach an friendly agreement as we don't intend to take the Spanish government to court," he added. No one was immediately available for comment at the Culture Ministry. Cassirer, who lives in San Diego, California, told reporters this week that the painting was bought by his great- grandfather from Pissarro's agent in Paris. Cassirer said he recalls seeing it hanging in his grandmother's apartment in Germany where he spent much time as a child.
Famed Jaffna library not reopening, soldiers guard complex
Fri Feb 14, 1:41 AM ET
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka - The Sri Lankan government postponed the reopening of the library in the northern city of Jaffna on Friday and posted armed troops to guard it after a controversy erupted between local councilors and Tamil rebels. All 23 members of the town council in Tamil-dominated city resigned Thursday, alleging they had been threatened by rebel supporters who sought the postponement. The rebel supporters argue that reopening the library, whose cherished Tamil texts were destroyed in an arson attack 22 years ago by an anti-Tamil mob, should wait until more books are collected and until after an additional wing is built with material explaining the building's history and the effects of its destruction. The arson in 1981 disillusioned many young Tamils, prompting them to join militants fighting against the Sinhalese-dominated government. Council members, who are mostly moderate Tamils, alleged that supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam had pressured them to block the opening due Friday, but did not elaborate on the threats. On Friday, nearly 40 Sri Lankan soldiers and policemen guarded the library. The library was renovated at a cost of 120 million rupees (US$1.26 million). It lost its entire collection of 97,000 books and about 150 centuries-old Tamil scripts on herbal medicine when the original two- story building was destroyed in the 1981 attack. The rebels started their insurgency in 1983 to create a separate state for the minority Tamils. They say Tamils are discriminated against by the Sinhalese in education and jobs. Jaffna, which is 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of the capital, Colombo, was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in a war that killed more than 65,000 people and displaced 1.6 million.
A Norway-brokered cease-fire signed last February halted the conflict, and the rebels have agreed for regional autonomy instead of total independence.
also:
France donates 800 books to famed Jaffna library
Tue Feb 11, 5:07 AM ET
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka - The French government on Tuesday donated 800 books to the reconstructed Jaffna Library, which was destroyed during an anti-Tamil arson attack 22 years ago. French Junior Foreign Minister Renaud Muselier made the donation during a visit to Jaffna, an ethnic Tamil majority city in northern Sri Lanka. The government has renovated the public library — which officially reopens Friday — in a bid to win back the confidence of Tamils, who comprise a minority in most of the country. The library lost its entire collection of 97,000 books and about 150 centuries-old Tamil scripts on herbal medicine when the original two- story building was destroyed in June 1981. The destruction disillusioned many young Tamils, who later joined militant groups to fight a civil war against the government, dominated by the country's Sinhalese majority. The Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels signed a cease-fire last February and are holding peace talks to end the 19-year war.
Moderator's message:
At the Smithsonian National Conference on Cultural Property Protection Steve Keller gave one full working copy of his software to be evaluated by the Museum Security Network. I really need to reserve plenty of time to review this extensive new product, and will inform MSN subscribers as soon as possible.
Ton Cremers
From: IntlArtCop@aol.com Date sent: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 23:14:06 EST
Subject: Demo of security software can be downloaded
To: securma@xs4all.nl
We have had dozens requests from all over the world for copies of the demo version of our software "The Security Department Knowledge Base", a comprehensive cross platform software solution for managing a museum security operation, which we introduced at the Smithsonian National Conference last week. I have posted a zipped copy which can be downloaded. If you would like a copy of the demo software (in the Windows version) go to ftp.stevekeller.com using an ftp client program. Use the username "getdemo" and password "KnowledgeBase1234" which is case sensitive. The file should be self extracting. Please email me if you have any problems or if you need a Macintosh version.
The response to this software has been wonderful. We welcome your input on ways we can make it even better or what might be required to modify it to meet your unique national, language or cultural needs.
A FAQ sheet and brochure that fully describes the software can be found at www.stevekeller.com/knowledge/faq.htm .
Steve Keller
Guard archivist admits to thefts
By Norman Miller Friday, February 14, 2003
WORCESTER -- A Framingham man who worked as an archivist for the Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archive in Worcester admitted yesterday in court to selling $50,000 worth of historical documents. Dana Essigman, 42, of 4 Pincushion Road, told the Worcester Superior Court he sold the artifacts to pay off his bookie. Essigman pleaded guilty to 12 counts of larceny of more than $250 and one count of larceny of less than $250, said Worcester County District Attorney spokeswoman Liz Stammo. He was sentenced to two years probation, but faces a restitution hearing at Worcester Superior Court on March 20, Stammo said. "He was found to be a common and notorious thief," Stammo said. "His commanding officer and supervisor were in agreement with our recommendations." According to Col. Len Kondratiuk, director of the museum, he noticed several artifacts, historical documents and paintings missing in late summer and early fall of 2001. "I contacted the state police to ask them to set up surveillance," said Kondratiuk. "They discovered that Mr. Essignman was coming back after hours, and letting third parties come in, and he would sell items to them." On Dec. 27, state police arrested Essigman, Kondratiuk said. He had been a civilian archivist for the museum, located at 44 Salisbury St., for more than 14 years.
"I suspect he had been doing it for a great many number of years," said Kondratiuk. "But in the last couple of months of 2001, for some reason, he went crazy with it. It was rather obvious." Many of the items stolen were one-of-a-kind documents, Kondratiuk said. They included paperwork detailing military service orders for the state's militia prior to and during the Civil War.
Most of the items were recovered, the colonel said.
"He betrayed his trust, but the state police did a very good investigation, and they got back several of the items," Kondratiuk said. "We may never know all of the items that he took." It is unclear how many of the items weren't recovered, Kondratiuk said. Stammo said the amount Essigman owes, if any, would be determined at the March 20 hearing.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/
`Would You Like To See My Etchings?' Solves Crime
(Art set for auction instead found to be stolen from New York)
By STEPHEN THOMPSON spthompson@tampatrib.com
ST. PETERSBURG - The 77-year-old woman listened regularly to WGUL's half-hour radio show on art appraisals, the one hosted by Burchard Galleries. She had more than a half-dozen paintings and etchings that were discovered in the attic after her husband died, and she wanted to know if the gallery might want to take a look. Todd Burchard, the gallery's sales director, made the trek to Spring Hill. Among his finds: a limited edition etching by Picasso, a painting possibly by one of the old masters, and, best of all, a pictograph by Joaquin Torres-Garcia, a seminal figure in Latin American modernism that Burchard hoped would fetch more than $100,000. Burchard wanted a certificate of authenticity for the Torres-Garcia piece, so he contacted the Cecilia de Torres Gallery in New York City, which is run by Torres- Garcia's daughter-in-law, Cecilia. Coincidentally, she was working on the definitive catalog of Torres-Garcia's work. She recognized the picture as one of his works, but, after looking through a reference to a 1971 exhibition in Texas, she recognized something else, authorities say: The rightful owner of the piece was New York stockbroker John Jakobson. The pictograph had been stolen from Jakobson 29 years ago, as had six of the other etchings and paintings investigators would learn the Spring Hill widow was offering up for consignment. On Aug. 14, 1974, while Jakobson was spending the weekend in the Hamptons with his wife, Barbara, an art historian and current board member of the Museum of Modern Art, one or more burglars forced open a hatch door on the roof of their brownstone in Manhattan's Upper East Side. The burglars ransacked the place, taking even the maid's valuables, according to a New York City police report. But Cecilia de Torres mentioned none of this to Burchard, said Dan Pollock, the director of the de Torres gallery. Instead, the authorities in New York were called, and they in turn called the St. Petersburg Police Department. Detective John Evans got the case Monday, and Tuesday he went to the Burchard Galleries, 2528 30th Ave. N.
Burchard was incredulous.
At first, Burchard said, he wondered whether Evans was a con artist, trying to pass himself off as a investigator to swindle him out of his newly acquired artworks. Even when Evans showed him the reports from 1974, he wasn't sure. Burchard finally was convinced when Evans requested a uniformed sergeant come to the gallery. The Spring Hill widow, Beatrice Ranaudo, will not be charged, Evans said, as it appears the artwork belonged to her husband. She had offered it to their children, but they weren't interested, Evans said. Although the seven pieces tracked to the Jakobson brownstone will be returned to New York, where the now-divorced couple will sort things out with their insurance company, Burchard still will be auctioning the Picasso etching and the old master this weekend on the Internet. All is not lost. The Picasso, Burchard said, is expected to fetch $15,000 or so. He declined to give an estimate of what the old master painting might sell for.
Evans said he heard it might be worth six figures.
Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 823-3303.
http://news.tbo.com/
Businessmen arrested over theft of skulls and foetuses
Thai police have arrested two men who allegedly stole preserved foetuses and human skulls from a hospital museum to use as talismans. Kitisak Laoprasert and Sithichai Kantamat were arrested after Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital realised the specimens had disappeared from its forensic medicine museum. Police claim the suspects have told officers they mingled with museum visitors before snatching the skulls and foetuses from their glass cases. They face up to 10 years in jail if convicted. Kitisak reportedly told police he stole the remains to improve his luck, and it had worked by improving the fortunes of his family business. He says customers who owed money and had previously refused to pay, suddenly started settling their debts.
Associated Press
Picasso Work Stolen From Spanish Festival
The Associated Press
A ceramic plate with a bullfighting motif painted by Pablo Picasso in 1949 has been stolen from an art show in Madrid. The 10-inch, blue and white plate disappeared two hours after the weeklong international ARCO art festival opened to the public Thursday, director Rosina Gomez-Baez said The piece was for sale for $12,400 and was displayed on a low shelf with other Picasso ceramic pieces at a stand representing the Bonn, Germany-based gallery Pudelko. Security guards checked people leaving the Madrid convention center where the show was being held but did not find the plate. The theft was the first Gomez-Baez knew of in the festival's 22-year history. The festival features works by nearly 277 galleries from 30 countries.
'Modern-day pirate' put on probation
William Elam, 44, was sentenced to five years probation and 150 hours of community service as punishment for stealing several shipwreck artifacts from state land.
By Tony Judnich staff writer February 13, 2003
Elam, 44, was sentenced Wednesday by Indian River County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Cox to five years probation and 150 hours of community service as punishment for stealing several shipwreck artifacts, such as cannonballs and ship's rigging, from submerged state land last year. He's prohibited from diving in waters over state land during his probation, unless officials from the state Division of Historical Resources need him to help document the exact locations where he found some of the items he stole. Jim Miller, state archaeologist for the division, said he's not sure yet if the state will need Elam's assistance. Elam also was ordered to pay $5,500 in investigation costs. His probation could end after three years if he follows all probation requirements.
"I'm going to miss diving," Elam said.
Elam, who makes a living doing yard and roof work and other jobs, does not have a salvage permit. He had pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful excavation of archaeological specimens, a third-degree felony, and one count of unlawful removal of archaeological specimens, a misdemeanor. "It's our hope that this sentence will send a message to modern-day pirates that Florida's historical treasures are not available for plunder," said Assistant State Attorney Ryan Butler. Elam, who was represented by Assistant Public Defender Michael Heisey, said he understands the message. "I love diving and looking for things," Elam said after leaving the courtroom, "but I got in trouble bringing in artifacts. I did something stupid." Miller, who did not attend the sentencing, said state officials helped create the sentencing recommendation. "I thought it was appropriate and am glad it was agreed to," he said.
Some of the stolen historical artifacts were seized from Elam last summer. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had received a report that Elam was seen removing various objects from the ocean near Vero Beach. Last November, commission officials using a search warrant found several other stolen artifacts at Elam's residence. Investigators said he took several of the objects from areas of the ocean floor that are only to be explored under state contracts held by salvage companies, such as Historical Research and Development Inc., of Orlando and Fort Pierce. Butler said Elam told investigators that he took some objects from the Florida Panhandle. Historical Research and Development President Ernie Kling attended the sentencing and said he was satisfied with Elam's sentence. A videotape containing footage of Elam smashing corrosion and crustaceans off of objects was among the items seized from Elam's home last November. Butler said the footage was disturbing because it showed no regard for possible historical artifacts. Elam said he had made the tape for a friend, to show what the objects looked like before he altered them. "I'm pretty sure those pieces (that were smashed) were pieces of a vehicle's suspension," he said. "I've seen parts of dune buggies and car frames (underwater) before."
Elam's community service requirement calls for him to educate the public on the importance of preserving and documenting historical artifacts. For example, he must help state officials create a public service announcement renouncing illegal artifact collecting.