Saturday 6 July 2013

Christie's and recently surfaced antiquities

Cambridge University researcher Christos Tsirogiannis has written on antiquities identified at Christie's during 2012 ("Something is confidential in the state of Christie's", Journal of Art Crime [Spring 2013] 3-20). They include items spotted in the Medici Dossier as well as the Symes Archive. At least one object passed through the Summa Galleries.

The article makes uncomfortable reading for the members of the Christie's Ancient Art team in both New York and London. It suggests that their due diligence process is not identifying controversial material.

Will this research by Tsirogiannis encourage Christie's to tighten up their processes?

This appears to be the first in a series of articles by Tsirogiannis.

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2 comments:

kyri said...

maybe christies should offer mr,tsirogiannis a job as a reseacher to do their due diligence for them.surely that would be the best move for their antiquities department.also mr tsirogiannis would have the opportunity to clear up the market a little bit,after all thats what he wants,isnt it.is there a better way of doing that,other than from the inside.
kyri.

Emmanuel said...

Kyri is right. But then, who will be responsible for filling up the due diligence inadequacies at Bonhams?
Emmanuel

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