Forgeries and the market

One of the questions posed for later this week is 'how are forgeries placed on the market?'

I look back to my study of the 'Fitzwilliam Goddess', acquired by the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1926 [JSTOR]. The endorsement for the piece was by Sir Arthur Evans. The dealer, Charles Seltman, was known to the museum. The story of the alleged find-spot (the harbour for Knossos) was plausible. The curator was keen to develop the prehistoric collection.

We could consider other pieces such as the Getty kouros. Is it genuine? Or is it a modern creation? Look at the way that parallels were supplied. And there was the creation of a collecting history (with the wrong postal code).

Or there are Cycladic figures attributed by an expert in the field to named sculptors that have turned out to be modern creations. They share one thing in common: they did not come from a secure archaeological context.

And then there is the Amarna princess. Who authenticated it? It was believable because it had the right elements.

So how can we avoid forgeries? Perhaps by acquiring objects that have authenticated collecting histories and that come from known contexts.

The market in ancient coins and self-regulation

I have been reflecting on a series of questions to answer at a conference next week. One of them asks this, Is self-regulation the way forward?

One of the ways that this could be answered is by looking at the responses of auction-houses or galleries when 'toxic antiquities' are identified. The organisations can either open negotiations with the source countries or they can press ahead with the sale. But the second approach is not always successful because potential buyers can get 'spooked' and the objects get left unsold and perhaps unsellable.

But then there is the topic of freshly surfaced ancient coins. Does the market self-regulate? Or do national bodies have to set up procedures?

I have read with much interest the reaction to a scholarly article by a North American academic in a high profile archaeology journal that addresses aspects of this issue.

A Washington lobbyist who is paid for his services by the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) has reacted sharply to this piece of academic research, and has even complained that the author of the article shared an electronic offprint with colleagues ("provided advance copies of his article to his fellow archaeo-bloggers"). (There has also been an unsightly discussion of how those who deal in ancient coins seem to define collegiality.)

It gets worse: the lobbyist appears to misunderstand that copyright rules that restrict the author (or anyone else) from posting the article in a place where it can be downloaded for free.

And this same lobbyist has been outspoken about the movement of archaeological material removed from Syria to western markets.

And what has the IAPN said about one of its members linked to a recent incident?

It appears that IAPN spent $40,000 on lobbying for 2014, and $10,000 so far this year (to Messrs Bailey & Ehrenberg). (But I rely here on information that has been made available in the public domain to aid transparency.)

If the IAPN does not 'reign in' its paid lobbyist, it could suggest to the academic and policy-making communities that 'self-regulation' does not work in the area of ancient coins.

And, if I can use a soccer image, the lobbyist will have scored an 'own goal' and encouraged North American authorities to intervene more closely in the market in ancient coins.

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The market in antiquities

I have been sent a series of questions to consider prior to a workshop this coming week. Among them was this: Which agencies are best placed to interdict trafficking?

I would only like to comment on classical material. But it seems to me that there is a huge difference between being 'best placed' and actually taking action. The hundreds of objects that have been returned from North American public and private collections are a reminder that these examples of archaeological material have crossed several international frontiers: say, from Italy to Geneva; from Geneva to London; from London to New York. Yet there has been free movement through customs and other checks.

The high profile 'seizures' have been the initiative of the Italian authorities. Should it be up to 'source' countries alone?

So how do we answer the question?

Cleveland and the Apollo

The latest number of the Journal of Art Crime has appeared. This contains my essay on the so-called Cleveland Apollo.

"The exhibition of the Cleveland Apollo and the thinking behind the publication of Bennett’s book reveal what Roger Bland of the British Museum once described (in a review of James Cuno’s work) as “an example of US cultural imperialism at its worst”. Bennett has reignited the debate and prepared the way for a full and balanced discussion of the so-called Cleveland Apollo at some future managed event at the Cleveland Museum of Art."

• Gill, D. W. J. 2013. "Context matters: The Cleveland Apollo goes public." Journal of Art Crime 10: 69-75.

Journal of Art Crime: Spring 2010

The Journal of Art Crime 3, 1 (Spring 2010) is now available. The journal is edited by Noah Charney. For journal details see here.

Those interested in antiquities will be interested in the following items:

ACADEMIC ARTICLES

• David W.J. Gill: Collecting Histories and the Market for Classical Antiquities, 3-10 [abstract]
• Helen E. Scott: Responding to Art Vandalism in British Museums and Galleries: A Survey of the Situation, 11-22
• Miranda Vitello: The Getty Kouros Mystery, 23-30.
• Olivia Sladen: Faking History: How Provenance Forgery is Conning the Art World 41-52.
• Simmy Swinder: The Looting of the Iraq Museums: An Examination of Efforts to Protect Universal Cultural Property, 53-74

REGULAR COLUMNS

• David Gill: Context Matters. “Italy and the US: Reviewing Cultural Property Agreements”,  81-85.
• Colonel Giovanni Pastore: Cultural Heritage. “The Defense of Underwater Archaeological Heritage” / “La Difesa Del Patrimonio Archeologico Subacqueo”,  87-92.
• Donn Zaretsky: Art Law and Policy, 95-97.

EDITORIAL ESSAYS

• John Kleberg: What’s in a Number? 99-100.
• John Kleberg: University Treasures 101-102.
• David W.J. Gill: The Returns to Italy from North America: An Overview 105-09.

REVIEWS

Derek Fincham Reviews, 113-14.

• Criminology and Archaeology: Studies in Looted Antiquities, ed. S. Mackenzie and P. Green (Hart Publishing 2009)
• The Restitution of Cultural Assets, Beat Schönenberger (Eleven International Publishing 2009)

EXTRAS

• Mark Durney: ARCA profile of Ton Cremers 125
• Mark Durney: Q&A with ICE’s Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities Program Head of the Northeast, Special Agent Bonnie Goldblatt, 127-128
• 2010 ARCA Award Winners 129

For earlier numbers see here.

The Journal of Art Crime: Fall 2009

The Fall 2009 number of the Journal of Art Crime edited by Noah Charney and published by the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (details here) is now available.

Those interested in antiquities will be interested in the following items:

Articles

• Issues in Identification and the Authenticity of Artist’s Signatures,  Graham Ospreay: 3-11
• Art Crime Archives, Bojan Dobovšek, Noah Charney, and Saša Vučko: 25-33
• A Permanent International Art Crime Tribunal? Judge Arthur Tompkins: 35-41
• Lessons in Looting, Stephanie Goldfarb: 43-49

REGULAR COLUMNS

• Context Matters, “Looting in the Balkans”, David Gill: 63-66
• An Empty Frame: Thinking About Art Crime, “Are Police Posters Art?”, Derek Fincham: 67-69
• Art Law and Policy, “Holocaust Era Cases Reviewed”, Donn Zaretsky: 71-73
• Cultural Heritage, “Protection of the Concept and Profiles”, Col. Giovanni Pastore: 75-81 (English and Italian)
  

EDITORIAL ESSAYS

• Understanding the Motivations Behind Art Crime and the Effects of an Institution’s Response,  Mark Durney: 83-86
• Cultural Artifacts in Nigeria, Abiodun Johnson Eniyandunni: 87-88
• Financing Terror, Judith Harris: 89
• Turkish Archaeological Sites and the Trade of Illegal Antiquities, Catherine Schofield Sezgin: 91-94

REVIEWS

• L’Arma per l’Arte. Antologia di Meraviglie, David Gill: 95-96
• Tesori Invisibili at Castel Sant’Angelo, and L’Arma per L’Arte: Antologia di Meraviglie at Castel Sant’Angelo, Nathalie di Sciascio: 97-98
• Whose Culture? The Promise of Museums and the Debate Over Antiquities (James Cuno), David Gill: 99-100
• The Lost Chalice: The Epic Hunt for a Priceless Masterpiece (Vernon Silver), Douglas L. Yearwood: 101-02
• ARCA War Looting Literature Review, Emily Blyze and Kate Panella: 107-09
• Profile of Chris Marinello, Executive Director & General Counsel, Art Loss Register,  Mark Durney: 114

The Journal of Art Crime: volume 1

The first volume of The Journal of Art Crime edited by Noah Charney and published by the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (details here).

There is much in the volume with a series of regular columns including my own, "Context Matters: Archaeological and Antiquities Crime".

Art and Crime: New Essays

A new edited volume arrived today:
Noah Charney (ed.), Art and Crime: Exploring the Dark Side of the Art World (Praeger, 2009). [WorldCat] [Praeger] [ARCA]

Art crime has received relatively little attention from those who study art to those who prosecute crimes. Indeed, the general public is not well-aware of the various forms of art crime and its impact on society at large, to say nothing of museums, history, and cultural affairs. And yet it involves a multi-billion dollar legitimate industry, with a conservatively-estimated $6 billion annual criminal profit. Information about and analysis of art crime is critical to the wide variety of fields involved in the art trade and art preservation, from museums to academia, from auction houses to galleries, from insurance to art law, from policing to security. Since the Second World War, art crime has evolved from a relatively innocuous crime, into the third highest-grossing annual criminal trade worldwide, run primarily by organized crime syndicates, and therefore funding their other enterprises, from the drug and arms trades to terrorism. It is no longer merely the art that is at stake.

Through the use of case examples and careful examination, this book presents the first interdisciplinary essay collection on the study of art crime, and its effect on all aspects of the art world. Contributors discuss art crime subcategories, including vandalism, iconoclasm, forgery, fraud, peace-time theft, war looting, archaeological looting, smuggling, submarine looting, and ransom. The contributors offer insightful analyses coupled with specific practical suggestions to implement in the future to prevent and address art crime. This work is of critical importance to anyone involved in the art world, its trade, study, and security.

Essays on antiquities include:

• Derek Fincham, "The fundamental importance of archaeological context"
• David Gill, "Homecomings: learning from the return of antiquities to Italy"
• Toby Bull,"Lack of due diligence and unregulated markets: trade in illicit antiquities and fakes in Hong Kong"
  

The Journal of Art Crime: Call for Papers

The Journal of Art Crime, published by ARCA, is the first peer-reviewed academic journal in the study of art crime. This biennial publication welcomes interdisciplinary articles from both academics and professionals, related to art crime, its history, and its repercussions. Relevant fields include criminology, law, art history, history, sociology, policing, security, archaeology, and conservation. ARCA welcomes submissions at any time.

Content
Each issue of The Journal of Art Crime will include at least four academic essays, which will be subject to anonymous peer review. Essays considered to be of merit by peers may be returned to their authors along with rewrite guidelines which must be applied before publication.

The Journal of Art Crime will also include book and exhibition reviews, conference write-ups, capsule summaries of major recent art crimes, and editorial columns. The Journal welcomes submissions or proposals for any of the aforementioned.

The following prominent professionals will serve on the editorial board, in addition to ARCA’s trustees:

• Professor Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn FBA, Emeritus Disney Professor of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
• Petrus van Duyne, Professor of Criminology, University of Tilburg, the Netherlands
• Neil Brodie, Stamford University, US
• Dick Drent, Director of Security, the Van Gogh Museum, the Netherlands
• Matjaz Jager, Director, Institute of Criminology, Slovenia
• Patricia Sherwin Garland, Senior Conservator, Yale Art Gallery
• Liisa van Vliet, Consultant, Accenture, UK
• Bojan Dobovsek, Professor of Criminology, University of Maribor, Slovenia
• Michael Kirchner, CPP, CIPM, Director of Safety and Security, Harvard Art Museums, US
• Benoit van Asbroeck, Attorney, Brussels, Belgium
• Judah Best, Attorney and Smithsonian Commissioner, US
• Howard Spiegler, Attorney, US
• David Gill, University of Swansea, Wales
• Erik Nemeth, The Getty Research Institute, US
• Travis McDade, University of Illinois, US
• Ken Polk, University of Melbourne, Australia
• David Simon, Professor of Art History, Colby College, US

Submissions
Submissions are welcome at any time. Academic essays should be 4000-9000 words in length (including footnotes, excluding bibliography). Please adhere to MLA style guidelines. Relevant images should be sent in jpg form in a separate email. Authors are responsible for securing any necessary permissions for the reproduction of images related to their articles. Average turnover for peer-reviewed essays is eight weeks, two weeks for editorial or review material.

Each academic essay should be accompanied by a cover page that includes:
-author’s name, affiliation, and contact information
-biographical information (up to 100 words)
-an abstract (100-200 words in length)
-six keywords that characterize the content of the article.
Please remove all identifying material from the body of the article.

Editorial proposals or submissions (book reviews, letters, etc) should include:
-brief abstract of proposed or submitted topic (200 word maximum)
-author’s name, affiliation, and contact information
-biographical information (up to 100 words)

Please send all submissions to editor@artcrime.info as an attachment in Word format.

Subscriptions
The Journal of Art Crime will be published both as an e-journal and in printed form. Subscribers may choose the electronic form alone, or purchase the electronic and print form as a package. The first issue will be published in the Spring of 2009, the second issue the following Fall. Please visit www.artcrime.info to subscribe.

Context Matters for Art Crime

I will be preparing a new column, "Context Matters", for the Journal of Art Crime. This will be published by ARCA (Association for Research into Crimes against Art). Ideas for stories and themes can be left via my work website.

The Journal of Art Crime, published by ARCA, is the first peer-reviewed academic journal in the study of art crime. This biennial publication welcomes interdisciplinary articles from both academics and professionals, related to art crime, its history, and its repercussions. Relevant fields include criminology, law, art history, history, sociology, policing, security, archaeology, and conservation.

Details about submissions and subscriptions can be found on the journal's website.