Egyptian antiquities from a family collection ...

A former museum director was charged earlier this week with trying to sell Egyptian antiquities apparently removed from Long Island University's art museum (Kieran Crowley and Kati Cornell, "'Thief' squawks like an Egyptian", The New York Post September 17, 2009)

Barry Stern is alleged to have sold nine Egyptian antiquities through Christie's in New York, Rockefeller Plaza, for some $51,500. Some of the lots can be identified in the catalogue:


December 9, 2008

• Lot 8: AN EGYPTIAN LIMESTONE SHABTI FOR MONTEMHET. $12,500. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."
• Lot 27: AN EGYPTIAN WOOD PTAH-SOKER-OSIRIS. $8,125. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."
• Lot 33: AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE IMHOTEP. $9,375. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."
• Lot 36: AN EGYPTIAN LIMESTONE HEAD OF AN OFFICIAL. $3,500. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."
• Lot 40: AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE APIS BULL. $10,625. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."

June 3, 2009

• Lot 16: An Egyptian bronze Osiris. $5,250. "Property from the collection of Barry Stern". Provenance: "Acquired by the current owner's parents, circa 1955."

A fuller discussion can be found in a report by Kati Cornell and Joe Mollica, "LI's Pharaoh 'Phraudster' - ex-museum big nailed in Egypt-art theft", The New York Post September 16, 2009. The pieces were apparently donated to the museum in 2002.