News & Issues

Guggenheim Settles With Malevich Heirs — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-08-2010 04:09 PM

The foundation that runs the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum said on Monday that it had reached an agreement with the heirs of the artist Kazimir Malevich over the ownership of an untitled work by him that the museum plans to include in an exhibition this month. In a joint news release, the foundation and the heirs of Malevich, the Russian Suprematist, said they had reached “an amicable settlement” over an oil painting on canvas made by the artist around 1916, which was acquired by Peggy Guggenheim in 1942 and has been part of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

No more trafficking — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-05-2010 11:47 AM

Parliament is about to endorse a comprehensive new antiquities law that will incorporate all the requirements suggested by the Ministry of Culture,

Prosecutor: Artifacts informant clean — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-02-2010 08:39 AM

The undercover operative in a federal bust of artifact trading collected about $7,500 a month for secretly recording transactions with collectors and sellers across the Southwest for more than two years, new court documents say. (Ted) Gardiner had received $162,000 in payments plus expenses, for a total of $224,000, when most of the arrests were made in June. Ted Gardiner, a Utah antiquities dealer, got an initial $10,000 payment before the sting operation began in earnest, then collected regular monthly payments throughout 2007 and 2008, according to FBI disclosures in court files.

Group will appeal ruling to keep looted books in France — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-02-2010 07:31 AM

A Korean civic group said last week that it will appeal a French court’s decision to reject a request for the return of royal texts taken by French troops during a 19th-century invasion.

Yale Should Quit Stalling On Incan Artifacts — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-01-2010 09:52 PM

Yale University and the government of Peru have been arguing for almost a decade over who owns thousands of artifacts including mummies, jewelry and art dug up by Yale scholar Hiram Bingham at the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in the early 20th century

Repartration of looted artefacts in Europe: Benin’s case can’t be different . — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-01-2010 09:46 PM

. .Recently, the ethnography museum of Stockholm, Sweden hosted an exhibition and seminar on Benin court art and culture. Prince Edun Akenzua who headed the delegation from His Majesty, Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Eriduawua II of Benin to the international event discusses it and other salient issues relating to the Edo kingdom’s stolen artifacts in European museums with EMMANUEL AGOZINO.

Egypt tightens penalties for relics robbers, smugglers — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 02-01-2010 07:52 PM

CAIRO: Parliament amended Egypt's antiquities law on Monday to bring in stiffer punishments for the theft and smuggling of relics while granting patent rights to the country's antiquities council.

Martin GROSZ and Lilian Grosz, Plaintiffs, v. The MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, Defendant, Herrmann-Neisse With Cognac, Self-Portrait With Model and Republican Automatons, Three Paintings by Grosz, Defendants-in-rem — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-31-2010 09:57 AM

George Grosz was an early twentieth-century German artist and prominent member of a movement known as the Berlin Dada and New Objectivity Group. His artwork, consonant with the larger movement, was strongly anti-totalitarian and therefore anti-Nazi. ( See First Am. Compl. (“Complaint”), May 28, 2009, ¶¶ 2-3.)

Tracing ancient roots of Penn Museum's gold — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-31-2010 09:41 AM

The scientist had traveled from Germany to examine the ancient items that lay before him on the University of Pennsylvania laboratory table, and he was dazzled.

Governor: Cape Wind’s a done deal — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-30-2010 11:20 AM

The fix is in for Cape Wind, the controversial plan to build 400-foot-tall wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, and you can take Gov. Deval Patrick’s word for it.

UNESCO calls for ban in trade in Haitian artifacts — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-30-2010 11:17 AM

DAVOS, Switzerland -- The United Nations' culture and education agency called Friday for a ban in the trade of Haitian artifacts to prevent the pillaging of cultural treasures in the aftermath of its devastating earthquake.

Deals considered as attorneys focus on 'Source' in artifacts case — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-29-2010 02:14 PM

— At least half a dozen of the 26 people accused of looting government-protected lands for Native American artifacts may have resolutions to their cases in the coming months, attorneys said in federal court Thursday.

France returns Nigerian artifacts . — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-29-2010 11:05 AM

. .THERE are indications that Nigeria’s efforts to repatriate some of it’s stolen artifacts have started yielding dividends as officials of the French government handed over to Nigeria two artifacts dated over 400 years which were unlawfully taken away from the country during the colonial times.

Protecting antiquities — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-28-2010 06:36 PM

With depressing regularity, Indian antiquities are stolen from archaeological sites and traded. The recent Interpol alert on the six most-wanted art objects lists yet anot

Tomb raiders bulldoze Jiangsu site — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-28-2010 01:18 PM

Unidentified tomb raiders hit more than 10 ancient tomb sites Monday in east Jiangsu Province, using bulldozers, and stealing most of the articles they unearthed, in an unprecedented sacking of the country's cultural relics, local archaeologists said.

Marine Exploration, Inc. Announces RV Hispaniola Plans to Salvage Two Shipwreck Sites Concurrently; Adding Additional Salvage Equipment While in Port for Maintenance — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-27-2010 10:23 AM

Marine Exploration, Inc. (OTCBB: MEXP) and its Joint Venture Partner Burt Webber’s Hispaniola Ventures, LLC announce their RV Hispaniola expects to salvage two shipwreck sites concurrently.

Defense in artifacts sting seeks informant's records — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-27-2010 09:59 AM

Crime » Lawyer says he wants to check credibility.

The Rosetta Stone Will Return — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-26-2010 05:08 PM

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- With all its history and glory, Egypt owes [a great deal to] the black basalt slab called the Rosetta Stone that unravelled the mysteries of Pharoanic scripture engraved on temples, graves, obelisks and the pyramids. Before the stone was discovered, these writings were merely signs and symbols.

Ancient Indian site plundered, Midville man sentenced — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-25-2010 08:28 PM

In September 2009, Wesley Linton Hodges, 52, of Midville and James Seaborn Roberts, 57, of Swainsboro were discovered illegally digging on private property in Burke County. When Georgia Department of Natural Resources Ranger Jeff Billips found the pair, they had already dug up piles of artifacts and several human bone fragments.

Cyprus police prevent smugglers from selling ancient artifacts for millions — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 01-25-2010 08:26 PM

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Authorities have busted a smuggling ring in Cyprus and recovered dozens of ancient artifacts it planned to sell for C11 million (15.5 million), including a miniature gold coffin, silver coins and terra-cotta urns, police said Monday.